Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ The Embrace of God ❯ A Melancholy Moon ( Chapter 3 )

The Embrace of God

 

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! You guys rock! ^^

 

Disclaimer: Fruits Basket does not belong to me. And neither does Akki. -weeps-

 

~~~

 

Chapter Three: A Melancholy Moon

 

 

This plan wasn't just perfect, it's completely flawless.

 

There is no way he could fail...

 

Not when he has their little flower ensnared in his clutches.

 

The flower that once gave them hope...

 

...and joy...

 

...shall become their utter downfall to him.

 

---

 

After she has finally finished treating her cuts with the disinfectant ointment and wipes Tohru climbed back into her soiled pajamas. Almost as if Akito had been watching her, (which she hoped not), Akito knocked on the shoji door waiting calmly for a response from inside. As soon as he heard a faint, “Come in,” he slid the door open. Tohru was watching him with anxious eyes as he walked inside. It was dark in his room but that didn't bother him at all. The shade comforted him and as he sat before his `guest', Akito glanced at the medicine in the bag that they used.

 

Most of the ointment had been used up and as he took the ointment bottle and placed it back inside the bag, Akito took a peek at Tohru to see what she was staring so fearfully at. His eyes traveled to the spot on the tatami floor where her eyes were transfixed and he saw the unused syringe he had set aside for use later.

 

“We'll worry about that later...”

 

Well, later is now, and judging by the distraught look on Tohru's face, Akito could tell that this was going to be quite enjoyable for him. He already knew how to use a syringe properly from the countless times when Hatori had injected him with drugs to numb any pain he felt so he wasn't worried about there being any “accidents” with the needle. And, he wasn't too anxious about stitching her gashes after recounting the experience in which he had accidentally cut himself on some sharp glass and his faithful Dragon had stitched his palm. There was still a light scar to prove the incident was true.

 

Tohru chewed on her bottom lip nervously as she watched Akito prepare the anesthetic required to numb her nerves long enough for the stitching of her cuts to be done. She did not doubt his doctoring skills (not after what he had so uncharacteristically done for her); however it was the absent account of his doctoring nature that made her jittery. She had never even seen Akito with a needle before. As he flicked the fluid-filled syringe to get the air out Tohru swallowed the lump in her throat before speaking.

 

“Ano...is...is that really...necessary?”

 

For a second his eyes flashed, before he stared at her again.

 

“If you want to avoid mind-numbing pain, Honda-san...”

 

Lips faintly curving, Akito took some cotton swabs, never keeps his eyes off of her face. It's obvious that she's trying to hide her inner anxiety. `...but she couldn't be this frightened of a mere injection, can she?' He mused, asking her to hold out her arm and lift up her sleeve. Examining her arm he saw that her skin was almost as pale as his, yet they were the healthy kind of pale, not the sickly-kind. He wasn't paying attention to her fair skin before, so he wondered why he was now. Pushing that question out of his head, Akito held the syringe ready, locking eyes with her. Tohru has noticed that he seemed to enjoy keeping eye-contact with her. `Perhaps it was just a matter of trust.' She concluded.

 

Tohru never knew that he enjoyed it because she would always politely avert her eyes somewhere else. His thumb delicately brushed her skin before he spoke in that low voice.

 

“This will sting a bit...but try not to move, Honda-san.”

 

Tohru cringed when she felt the needle. It didn't sting, it throbbed. Yet she kept her mouth tightly shut to let him focus on administering the anesthetic. Tohru glanced at him once but then nearly did a double-take when she saw a small uplift at the corners of his lips. `Was he smiling?' Tohru blinked but then the curve was gone. Did she just imagine him enjoying what made her arm sting uncomfortably?

 

Tohru watched as he rejected the needle and a dull sensation steadily began growing at her arm. Akito took a cotton swab and swabbed at the spot where a small dot of her blood had appeared. Tohru observed through half-lidded eyes as Akito began cleaning up the materials and putting them in the bag. He then collected the used syringe and removed the needle while walking towards his disposal bin.

 

After dumping the syringe and needle wrapped in thick tissue paper, he faced her with an indescribable smile. His voice seemed to be oddly echoing as he talked. “It is done. You may feel dizzy at first, but that is just a side-effect. It will gradually pass...”

 

As she tried to move, Tohru realized two things; one, her whole upper body was numb, and two, whatever was inside the syringe, it was making her feel funny. Not “ha-ha” funny but “strange” funny...

 

And before she knew it; Tohru collapsed on the ground.

 

“Was that an overdose, or do you just faint so easily in my presence, Tohru-san?”

 

---

 

“Dammit! She's not in her room! Where the hell could she be?!”

 

A slam could be heard from within the house.

 

“We've been searching every nook and cranny in this house for the whole day...”

 

“Yuki, Kyo, I called Hatsuharu and a couple of the others. She wasn't at their houses either. However they said that they would keep an eye out for her...”

 

Kyo pulled his fist back from the imprint on the wall before turning around and sending the Dog a piercing glare. “She could have been kidnapped for crying out loud! We've gotta try harder to find her!”

 

Yuki walked into the room holding a phone. His voice was calm, yet in his eyes there was an undoubted trace of fear. “I've contacted the police...”

 

“What can they do?! They'll just ignore us and classify this case as a `Lost'”

 

“You baka neko, there's nothing more we can do...”

 

“He's right. If Tohru can take care of the three of us then she can certainly take care of herself...” Shigure sighed as he picked up his latest novel.

 

Kyo couldn't hold the stinging tears anymore so he jumped up the roof and gripped at his orange hair in frustration.

 

“If anything happens to her...I-I'll never forgive myself...”

 

---

 

Her eyes fluttered open as she found herself lying on her side, all alone inside a dark room. Tohru sat up and looked around cautiously. Her mind still could not quite grasp what had happened with Akito. She felt something odd on her arms and pulled the sleeve of her pajama top up. She gasped at the stitches that mended her cuts. Somehow they didn't look natural. If Hatori had done it, then maybe she would've felt calmer about how her arms were now. But at least she was through the worse of it. Pulling her sleeves down Tohru wondered where she was.

 

This was not Akito's room. She could tell because there was nothing in this room. Everything was black, and for some unknown reason her heart was beating rapidly inside her chest. This room gave her an ominous sense of dread and fear. She was huddled in a corner and as her eyes adjusted to the dimness, Tohru saw that she was not alone; there were tiny red eyes staring back at her in the other corners of the room.

 

Stifling a gasp Tohru stood up and began to panic. Where was she!? Feeling her way along the walls, she saw the outline of a door. Walking towards it, Tohru grasped the handle, but it wouldn't budge. She was locked inside!

 

`But...why?' Tohru wondered sadly as she had no choice except to sit down in the corner closest to the door. She felt cold, scared, and most of all, confused. Did Akito put her in this room after she faint? Where was he now?

 

Tohru wiped a single tear that had unconsciously fallen down her cheek.

 

She was just beginning to trust him...

 

Did he think she was annoying too? Just as Yuki, Kyo and Shigure had thought?

 

---

 

“You seem slightly ruffled today. Did you have a nightmare last night?” Hatori asked as he removed the stethoscope from his medical bag (Shigure always called it his “fashion purse”; and to this day he still couldn't get it).

 

Akito tapped his fingers against the floor impatiently as his doctor held the cold stethoscope to his thin chest. There were no muscles partly because he wasn't physically adept to working out and because he couldn't stand being sweaty in the sun; it disgusted him. Akito winced at the iciness of the smooth metal as it moved across his light skin. He disliked having routine check-ups; because no matter what kind of medicine he received Akito knew that they were only prolonging his long-awaited death.

 

`Those selfish animals...they're just waiting for me to kick-the-bucket.' Akito thought bitterly narrowing his eyes.

 

`Well, I'm sorry to disappoint them, but now that I have her exactly where I want her, my body won't be dying anytime soon...' He resolved. Now that the flower that had them enthralled was in his clutches, Akito is finally at an advantage over his Jyuunishi. `They won't even know what struck them until it is too late.' A wicked smirk crossed his face as Hatori turned away from him after checking his temperature. He then proceeded to check the young God's blood pressure.

 

Everything seemed normal with his patient, yet there was an unconcealed glimmer in his teal orbs. It reminded Hatori of the kind of excited glimmer a child would have when they have behaved mischievously against their parent's wishes. This, obviously, made the Dragon nervous. Akito is dangerous enough with his short temper and vicious words. That coupled with a trick up his sleeve could result in deadly consequences for the entire family, including Tohru.

 

Hatori knew that Akito didn't care about the rest of the Zodiac, despite his frequent ranting about how everything he does, he does for them. Akito was just like a child; a child who would scream and throw angry fits if he didn't get his way. With his father Akira gone, Hatori sometimes felt more like a paternal figure than a doctor. The room was quieter than usual as the Dragon went about his way with checking his patient, who was currently scowling at the other side of the wall. `Is he upset about something?' Hatori mentally groaned at that; Akito was always upset about something. No matter how small it was.

 

Of course, he didn't voice any of his thoughts aloud, as they both knew that it would only result in the Dragon leaving the room blinded in both eyes.

 

As he finished, Hatori put all his medical instruments back into his pur—no, medical bag. He inwardly grimaced as he realized how his Dog friend was slowly but successfully influencing him. `This could be fatal to my sanity...' He sighed as he took out a clipboard and a pen. Now it was time for the “therapy” part of the check-up. Both Akito and Hatori hated this, but Hatori knew that it was necessary to get his God's thoughts out. (Just so that if there is a certain day in which Akito feels particularly irritable he'll get a heads-up).

 

“So...how are you feeling today, Akito?” He asked tapping the pen against the clipboard. Hatori was the one of the few who had permission to refer to the young God without a `-san or -sama'. The reason was that he was Akito's doctor and therefore he earned that right by taking care of him all the time. He watched as Akito's scowl furrowed. `He seems less patient then usual today...'

 

“Terrible.” Akito hissed in disdain, “I didn't get much sleep in last night because...” Suddenly his eyes widened as he realized that he was about say, `I didn't get much sleep in last night because Tohru Honda showed up on my doorstep like some pathetic, abandoned puppy.'

 

“Yes?” Hatori pressed, scribbling `Insufficient rest.' on the clipboard before he went back to observing his patient. Being the ever-watchful doctor, he saw that Akito's mind seemed to be on other matters besides their therapy session. He wondered what.

 

“...my stomach hurt.” Yes, it was lame. But for Akito Sohma, that excuse was actually quite believable for he does fall ill easily.

 

As Hatori sighed and began lecturing his reckless patient about the importance of taking prescribed pills regularly (Hatori found some pills outside his window a couple of days before), Akito's mind droned out his doctor's advice and he began to wonder if that Honda-girl has woken up from the drug yet. She should have; the drug he administered wasn't fatal and it's only supposed to last for approximately one hour. He smirked deviously as he thought about what her reaction to her “new” room might have been.

 

Was she scared? Was a she crying her poor little eyes out? Or maybe it was both?

 

It's a shame that he had to miss that, for he was looking forward to seeing what her expression would have been like after he placed her unconscious form in the Cat's room.

 

Hatori never goes there on any occasion, and nor does he go to the Rat's room. However, Akito decided to place Tohru in the Cat's room instead of the Rat's simply because it was closer to his room. Before leaving her inside, he locked the door without a second thought. Now he was glad that he did because he didn't doubt that she would try to venture out and if she happened upon his check-up with Hatori then everything would be ruined. Akito didn't want that, not after all he has endured for those animals and when he finally had an advantage.

 

Once this little `lecture' was over, Hatori would leave him alone and Akito would return to his `guest'. The word made him want to laugh; it was more like `captive' from where Tohru is. Akito didn't plan on letting her go anytime soon. Not after when he figured out the first step of his ingenious plan. This morning when he was finally finished with her stitches Akito realized that Tohru was on Spring Break.

 

This gave him plenty of time.

 

After he dragged Tohru to the Cat's room, (he mentally cursed himself for giving her that drug. Like before, it was a pain-in-the-neck to drag her. But the thought of his plan being at stake gave him the strength he needed) Akito was careful to put the unused medicine and the stitching materials back in Hatori's cabinets and dispose of the used ointment and wipes. It wasn't very enjoyable having to clean up after Tohru, but with her in a deep sleep and stitchings still fresh it wouldn't have been a wise idea to wake her up.

 

Akito was beginning to grow anxious at the prospect of Tohru being all alone in that dark room with no one to offer her `company'. At this point his objective was clear and simple; isolate Tohru from all of her friends and the other Jyuunishis to the point where she emotionally `breaks'. It should be a fairly simple task. He already has a head start thanks to Kyo, Yuki and Shigure. All he has to do is pretend to be nice to her in her time of need and everything will soon fall into place accordingly.

 

`Yes...' He smiled, `all I have to do is pretend be nice to her...and pretending is one of my strongest points.'

 

“Akito, are you listening to me? You're knuckles are turning white. If you don't stop, you're soon going to have very sore hands...” Hatori's voice brought him back to the present. He sounded like an adult scolding a wayward child caught with his hands in the cookie-jar.

 

Frowning, Akito unclenched his hands, grimacing at the soreness as he closely inspected his fingers. `Kuso! I must be more careful about outwardly expressing my thoughts...Hatori or anyone else might catch on to me...'

 

“Here, let me—”

 

Slap!!

 

The Dragon withdrew his hand reflexively after Akito struck him. `Oh no, he's in one of those moods again...' He thought before cautiously looking up front his red hand. Akito glared at him like a cobra ready to strike out with its toxic fangs.

 

Hatori sighed before checking the clock that was behind his patient. He felt relieved that one hour has finally passed. Since Akito's check-ups are regularly sixty-minutes long, that gave the Dragon the opportunity to end their check-up as soon as it was over.

 

Though Akito seemed always ready to get rid of him.

 

“Hatori,” Akito crooned in his classical sweet voice belied with spite, “I believe my check-up is over since it's been over an hour. And I'm very tired so can we just call it a day so I can rest?” He smiled innocently as if he had never even touched his doctor's hand before.

 

“Yes, Akito. I've also brought some pills for you. Take these for your stomach pain. Two per day.” Hatori informed as he handed him a small box. It took all Akito had for him not to roll his eyes at his doctor. He callously put the small tiny beside him as he watched the Dragon pack up his medicine bag. `Have they told anyone about her absence yet?' Akito wondered. He was positive that Shigure, Yuki and Kyo had discovered their precious house maid had gone missing now. It was well into the day but as he sat on the floor as Hatori stood up Akito couldn't help but wonder if any of them has told Hatori.

 

`They probably haven't yet...but in case they did, I'll have to watch him like a hawk from now on...'

 

“Don't forget to take your medicine. With water.”

 

Akito stood up as Hatori slid the shoji door open walking out into the hall before closing the door. Letting out a breath of impatience that had been building up inside him the young God ran his fingers through his dark locks tiredly. Watching the clock until a few more seconds have passed, he strutted around the room before he saw the small pack of medicine on the floor. Scowling, he bent down to pick up the box glancing shortly at it's contents before scoffing and marching to the open window that was opposite of the door.

 

Akito was about to chuck the small package of pills outside the window when he suddenly paused mid-stop throw. Slowly pulling his hand from the window Akito examined the box again. No, he cannot throw away any medicine. At least not now anymore. Because if he dies then he will not be able to go through with his plan. Sighing he opened the top and shook until a small circular pill fell into his palm.

 

Not even bothering to get a cup of water, he popped the pill into his mouth, swallowing afterwards. Yes, Akito was being stubborn and spiting his doctor by not following his orders to take pills with water. Why bother? It's not like the water will get rid of that horrible after-taste that always linger in his mouth anyways...

 

His eyes widened immediately.

 

`Kuso!'

 

Coughing hysterically, he keeled over on his knees as he wrapped a hand around his throat. His other arm was attempting to stop the strong convulsions that were causing him to shake uncontrollably. Regrettably, Akito knew that he should have taken the pill with water, yet his spiteful tendencies made him act otherwise. Actually, this wasn't the first time this kind of thing happened. Akito always despised the Dragon and the Jyuunishis because of their abundant health, and since they are living because of him, he behaved carelessly in his weak body. He thought, heck, if he was going to die, then he sure as hell was going to drag the others along for the ride to rock bottom.

 

However...

 

...now that the she has unknowingly walked herself into his sticky web, the young God has started working on a new agenda.

 

Downing a cup with some jasmine tea, Akito finally managed to rid himself of the atrocious coughing fit and the horrible taste of medicine from his mouth. He set the cup down next to the box and stood up; adjusting his kimono that had slipped slightly from the vigorous movements he had to suffer. Checking outside the window to be certain that his doctor has left, Akito walked to the door and stepped out into the hallway inconspicuously, eyes alert for any maids that might pass.

 

Feet padding smoothly against the wooden floor with his fuchsia kimono flowing gracefully behind him, Akito practically glided through the hallway that lead to the Cat's room.

 

`Her room now...' He smirked wickedly as he stopped in front of the door.

 

His slender fingers leisurely wrapping themselves around the handle Akito twisted it in a circle until he heard a faint `click!' sound. That was how to open the Cat's room. None of his maids or any of the Jyuunishis knew how to unlock the door. Akito slid the shoji door halfway open as he stood at the door frame. There was no light in here; the room was built this way to remind the Cat of how it is surrounded in darkness while the other animals of the Zodiac enjoy the delicious banquet offered by God.

 

He squinted his eyes to see as they slowly got used to the pitch black in the room. He thought he saw a faint movement in the corner of his eye, but it was probably a mouse. Despite her battered phase, she still might try to run out the door. That was why he stood at the doorway as he tried to locate Tohru's body; to prevent her from escaping. Not that she'll ever escape in the current state she was now; but Akito wasn't going to take any chances.

 

Finally, he heard a faint breathing coming from one corner of the obsidian space. `She's asleep?' He thought bemusedly as his eyes which had finally adjusted to the darkness traced out the outline of her curled up form. A small smile graced his face as he stepped inside, closing the door behind him inaudibly.

 

“Tohru-san?” His soft voice sounded like a whisper as he crept closer to her body, which upon closer inspection Akito found that she has adopted a fetal posture as her chest slowly rose up and down from her even breathing. Akito's dark eyes narrowed at that. He would just love to dig his sharp nails into her soft skin right now while she is caught off-guard and hear her piercing scream as she cried out in surprise and pain as he stained his fingers with her warm blood.

 

But alas, instead he simply knelt beside her unconscious form and bended over slightly watching her sleep, breathe and eyelids flutter from whatever dream she must be having right now. After a couple of minutes has passed, Akito steadily grew less patient and so he reached over her form to place his chilling hand over the back of her head and combed his fingers through her silky brown tresses languorously as a way to keep him occupied and entertained.

 

She stirred a bit and he suddenly stopped. `Has she woken up?' He wondered curiously.

 

Her eyelid's fluttered open as she felt the soothing yet uncomfortably icy fingers glide through her chocolate locks. `Who..?'

 

Tohru rolled over so that she was lying on her back as she lazily opened her eyes to see who had been playfully teasing her hair. However what she saw nearly made her scream in horror as the nonchalant (and very close) face of the Sohma leader was gazing at her upside-down.

 

Tohru gasped and immediately sat up straight but then winced as her stitch wounds had been stretched a bit. She could almost imagine what she must have looked like to the Head of the Sohmas as she was sleeping curled up on the floor. But it had been really cold and she was so frightened and there was nothing to do inside this mysterious room so she instinctively drifted off to slumber-land.

 

“A..Akito-san?” His name floated from her lips almost inaudibly as she gazed at his kneeling form in embarrassment and fear that he had to see her like this. `When did Akito-san come in? And how long has he been observing me like this?' A faint blush crept on her cheeks as she realized that he was one who had been doing the relaxing motions through her hair. `But...why?' She wondered as the lean God in front of her shifted so that he sat cross-legged.

 

Akito stared coolly back at her as he analyzed her every movement closely. He was determined not to be the conversation-starter this time.

 

Tohru, seeing as he wasn't going to talk and she thought that it might seem rude to just stare cleared her throat and spoke trembling.

 

“Umm...” However Tohru just couldn't voice her questions right in a way that wouldn't offend him, so she could only fumble with the edges of the dirty pajamas she was still wearing.

 

`She's still dirty...' Akito realized. The darkness of the room made it hard to see her clothing. Not waiting for her to talk anymore, Akito spoke.

 

“I've brought some kimonos that are about your size...however you must clean yourself first. It simply will not do for you to live here in such dirty attire...”

 

Tohru's eyes widened as she struggled to hear him right. Did he just say that she was to live here? With him?

 

But she couldn't. She's been more than enough trouble to him already, and she wasted his time when he took care of her cuts for her! Tohru shook her head slowly from side to side, biting her lip.

 

“Ano...gomen, Akito-sama,” She began, bowing her head down in shame, missing the uplift of his eyebrows as he heard her address him more formally, “...demo, I cannot live here. I...I've already caused you so much trouble and I must have been such a burden when I had shown up at your doorstep last night, waking you from your necessary sleep, and having you stitch my—”

 

“Are you done with babbling such foolish nonsense, now, Honda?” Akito cut in sharply. His midnight orbs became slits as he spoke next, “They loathe you...they don't need you...” his lips curved at seeing how much damage he was doing to her, yet Tohru couldn't see anything past her tear-filled eyes. Akito's voice suddenly became a hypnotic whisper as he spoke next, “Shigure, Kyo, Yuki...they don't want you anymore...you're too much trouble for them...”

 

`But you're not for me to screw around with your mind a little...' He thought maliciously as he took in the full sight of her struggling not to cry in front someone with a higher status like him. It was almost hilarious to watch as she covered her trembling lips with her hands; crystal teardrops cascading down her face. Akito licked his lips before continuing on, his voice becoming gentle as the flutter of a butterfly's wing, “So...where do you think you would go now if you were to leave, Tohru-san? Hmm?”

 

Tohru's silent sobs filled the room as her mind couldn't believe what she was hearing. `B-but...how did Akito-san know?' She couldn't understand what was happening. Everything was going too fast for her. She couldn't hold on.

 

He pulled away from whispering in her ear and he spoke a matter-of-factly, looking at her eyes that were blurred. “You're not welcomed at Shigure's house anymore...in fact,” here he let in a dry laugh, but you couldn't hear it below Tohru's whimpers and sobbing, “I heard from him over the phone today. We were talking when he brought the subject of you up. He said that you were a burden and that Yuki and Kyo felt relieved that they didn't have a girl around that always caused them to transform anymore. It was a relief...”

 

Tohru's heart started beating against her ribcage as she choked on her tears. Akito pretended to be interested in his nails before he looked at her and spoke sympathetically, “But...I tried to convince him that you weren't so bad. After all, you did so much for them. But he only chuckled flippantly and hooted that with you gone, the whole house has been much...less tense. He said that sometimes having a girl in the small house made him...nervous.”

 

Tohru swallowed the lump in her throat as she tried to speak in coherent sentences. “I-I...had no idea...that they felt th-that way...about my living with them...b-but why didn't they—?”

 

“Tell you?”

 

“...”

 

“Well, they probably didn't want to hurt you, Tohru-san. Anyways, after I ended the phone call with that insensitive Dog, I knew what that I couldn't tell you such awful news, but,” Akito feigned a sad sigh and flicked his ebony locks, “I guess I'm just so distraught about how they've treated you and about how you're unaware of their intentions that...it just...slipped out. I apologize for how I sounded...when I'm frustrated about something I usually tend to act first and then offer explanations later...” He blinked innocently as he slowly brushed an errant strand of her hair that had fallen out of place, “...can you forgive me, Honda-san?”

 

“H-hai...Akito-san.” She blinked, as she tried to wipe her endlessly flowing tears away.

 

Smiling conceitedly as Tohru couldn't see how he looked; Akito bent forward and wiped her tears away with the silky sleeve of his kimono, which had absorbed her tears immediately.

 

“A-Arigato...”

 

`Hm?'

 

Akito tilted her chin up so that he could see her tear strained face. She has finally stopped crying now, which was good. He smiled gently before embracing her shivering form. Since her tears had mostly dripped onto her pajamas making them wet, Tohru could feel the warmth radiate off of Akito's body through his thin kimono. Once again, she thought about how sweet he smelled before mentally slapping herself. `I can't keep thinking about Akito-san like this! He...he's here to offer me condolence and I'm behaving so disrespectfully!'

 

Tohru shyly leaned into him as his strong slender arms encircled around her like a shield. She felt her heartbeat return to normal as she listened to his next words.

 

“I have been faced with the cold disregard from them in the past. Even though I am the Head of the Sohmas and it is my duty to protect my family despite how they treat me...”

 

“And yet...I've felt more than neglect...I feel alone.” She heard him say softly.

 

“Akito-san...please don't feel lonely...I'm here...” Tohru said gently as she reached up to rest her hand lightly on his wrist.

 

Akito pulled away from their embrace and smiled hazily at her wide, innocent eyes. “Which is why I'm asking you to live here...will you, Honda-san? Will you stay with me?” He cooed.

 

Tohru couldn't see the glint in his eyes and so she timidly uttered her choice. “Hai...”

 

Akito smiled as he stood up, his legs ached slightly from the amount of time he sat as he helped Tohru up as well. “Do your stitches still hurt?” He asked. Tohru shook her head.

 

“Very well...I'll direct you to the baths and then I'll send a maid to fetch you the kimonos I've picked out for you after you're done...understand?”

 

“I understand, Akito-san.” Tohru said as he led her by her hand towards the door. As they stopped so that he could open it, Tohru missed the victorious smile that had crept up on Akito's face as she waited.

 

They walked out into the hall and as he led the half-smiling Tohru behind him towards the baths, Akito smirked as he thought to himself.

 

`Phase one...completed...'

 

After this day, Tohru Honda would never be the same person again.