Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ A Brother's Love ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 4 )

A Brother's Love
Chapter 2

Tohru made tea while Kyo served it, being quietly hospitable for once.  Although it probably had something to do with how subdued their guests were.  Momiji, Hatso, Hana, and Uo sat at the table, each lost in their own thoughts.

Momiji and Hatsu were there to report Ayame's condition, while Hana and Uo were there for moral support.  Although they didn't know Ayame, they too were solemn.  They could almost feel the shock seeping out of both Tohru and Kyo, and no one had the heart to pick a fight with each other.

Silence reigned until Kyo and Tohru were done and sat down to join them.  Momiji waited for a few minutes, colleting his thoughts.

"Last I heard, Aya finally woke up, but he doesn't seem to be aware of who's in the room with him.  He responded to Shigure-san, but he had some kind of flashback when Yuki touched him."

"So what was it?" asked Kyo.  "Was it a mugging? Robbery?"

Momiji shook his head.   "Nothing was taken, but everything was trashed.  I heard he was stabbed.  But I think things were much worse."

"Why's that?" Uo asked.

"Other than Yuki, none of us can see him. Only the adults."

"Oh, what about Mine-san?" Tohru exclaimed.

"Akito doesn't want her anywhere near the Sohma house.  But I think Hatori-san and Shigure-san are trying to convince Akito otherwise.  I did get to speak to Yuki briefly before I left the house.  He thinks Akito may have done something to Aya to set him back.  And no one is telling him the extent of the injuries as well."

Hatsu cleared his throat.  "He also apologizes for leaving you with the dumb cat for so long," the black and white haired boy said to Tohru.

"Stupid rat," Kyo replied, out of habit, but without the usual enthusiasm.

Momiji stood up.  "We're required to go back and have to be with someone else at all times."  He looked at Kyo.  "Akito wanted you back as well, but Shigure said that it would mean you being inside the gates roaming free."

Kyo had a small smile on his face.  It still stung that he wasn't accepted by the family, but he was grateful that Shigure could use that sentiment and manipulate it to his benefit.

X

Yuki rubbed his eyes as he stepped into Aya's room and froze.

Aya was sitting up.

For one moment, Yuki was struck by the image of his brother sitting so still.  His face was turned away from him, facing the window.  The sunlight reflected off of his pale hair. He looked so serious and sad, like the time he had tried to apologize when he visited his shop.

The shop...

Yuki had gone with Hatsu to the shop.  They had only made it to the front door when Shigure appeared and ordered them to leave.

Both of the teens had obeyed, but Yuki has caught a glimpse of the damage done.  A large dark stain was at the center of the floor, and it made him sick when he realized that that was where his brother had laid, bleeding.

The thought that he almost lost his brother without being able to understand him struck him hard.

"Aya?" he called out gently, as he approached his older brother.  "Nii-san?"

Aya didn't answer.

Yuki reached out towards Aya.  

His fingertips brushed Aya's shoulder, and the reaction was instantaneous.

Yuki stumbled back, clutching his band that had been slapped away.

"Don't touch me!!"  Aya had shouted, as he smacked Yuki's hand away.  There was a look of pure terror in his face as he scrambled out of the bed, falling to the floor.

Yuki could only stare in disbelief as Aya drew himself into the corner, hand clutching his hair as he stood trembling and staring with unseeing eyes.

"Aya-san," Yuki whispered.

A look of recognition flickered in Aya's eyes.  "Yuki?"

"Nii-san!"

"You're here..."

"Of course I'm here!" Yuki stepped forward as Aya moved forward as well.

But then Aya gasped and stepped back, hand over his mouth.  "I hit you..."

"No, it's okay..."

"I'm such an awful person!" Aya began to sob as he covered his face and slid down to the ground.  "Go away," he murmured.  "Go away.  I'm so sorry, but go away..."

"Aya-niisan..."

"I said, leave!! Get out! Get out! Get out!"

Yuki fled the room as his brother began to shout.  There was so much fear and anger in that voice.  What had they done to him?  Why won't anone give him answers? How was he suppose to help with no information to go with?

Yuki braced himself.  He would get an answer, no matter what.

X

Shigure just about jumped through the roof when Yuki burst into the room.

"Shigure-sensei!"

"Yuki..." Shigure said, in a slight wailing tone.  "Where did you learn such barbaric  behaviors?"

"Why won't anyone tell me what happened to Aya other than he has been attacked?"

Shigure lost his cheerful face.  "I don't quite understand your question, Yuki.  He was attacked and left for dead."

"No one has tld me the extent of his injuries."

"Why burden you young ones with that knowledge?  All you should concern youself with is to try to help Aya recover."

"How can I if he freaks out every time I touch him?!"

Silence reigned.

Shigure turned away from Yuki.

"Aya was always very confident in his abilities.  Sometimes overconfident.  Even you would feel ashamed and frightened if you suddenly found out you couldn't defend youself like you always thought you could."

The reply still left Yuki with unanswered questions, but the young man resigned himself to the fact that he would get nothing out of Shigure.

X

"I hit him, Hatori.  He reached out towards me and I struck him.  Again."

Aya sat in his bed with his legs drawn up, arms wrapped around them, forhead resting against his knees.  Tears slowly rolled down his cheeks, collecting at his chin and dripping onto his thighs.  

"I'm sure he'll understand.  He's afraid, but not of you.  He's afraid for you."

"Akito's right.  I am nothing but trouble and a burden to everyone else."

"You know, Ritsu wanted to be more like you.  I doubt he would be happy to find out that you are blaming youself for something you couldn't  help."

"Sorry," murmured Aya, before giving a bitter chuckle at realizing that he had apologized again.

"Mine's been here to see you.  We helped her clean up your shop so she could at least run it for you."

"She's running it alone?!" Aya looked up, horrified and panicked.  

"Ritsu is trying to help."

If anything, Aya looked even more terrified.

"He's even more defenseless than Mine!!"

"They are not alone.  And I doubt you making such a comment will help in improving Ritsu's self confidence.  Those two are running the store.  Akito has dispatched a couple of our family memebers who are professional security guards at Yuki's request."

"Yuki?"

"He's been by your side most of the time."

"Does... does he know?"

"Just that you were beaten and stabbed.  However, I think they are figuring it out that it was more severe than that."

Aya turned away, lying back down and covering himself with blankets.  "I should have been able to fight them off."

"It was three against one.  You were at a disadvantage.  Anyone would be hard pressed to fight off that many assailants.  It was not your fault!"

"But they did it because of how I looked.  They said so."  Aya let out a bitter laugh.  "To think that I would have liked the attention of men.  After all, how can I have a successful relationship with a girl as the stupid snake?"  

Hatori sighed at the amount of self hatred in Aya's voice.  

"The others are cute fuzzy animals.  I'm something that is loathed and feared."

"Mine doesn't fear you."

Aya went rigid.  "She saw my form?"

"You transformed shortly after you passed out.  She carried you here in that form."

"Oh, oh God, how can I possible see her now?!"

"Aya... she wasn't afraid."

"Yet! Hatori.  Yet!  But she also knows what happened to me!  She hasn't processed it yet, but given time, she'll register disgust and never want to see me again!  I'll be nothing but damaged goods, something foul like the snake I become!"

"Ayame..."  Hatori could only sit in shock as Aya began to sob.  Where did he get such thoughts?

His face turned grim.

Akito.

X

Akito sat on the window sill, staring out into the yard.

"I did what you asked of me, Yuki-kun.  And because I'm such a generous person, the only thing I'll ask of you is to visit me everyday while you're here."

"Yes, Akito-san."  Yuki trembled as he bowed.

"I don't understand why you're trying so hard to be kind to him now.  He's not worth it.  He's a disgrace to the family.  More so than Ritsu-kun and almost as much as Kyo-kun.  I mean, what kind of man is he, allowing himself to be taken like a woman."

Yuki froze.  "What do you mean?"

Akito whirled around, expressing false shock.  "Oh, my, you weren't told?"  Akito began to laugh.  "Would you believe Aya-san was raped?"

It was as if the world came crashing down.  Yuki found himself robbed of breath, as the word echoed in his head.

"Can you believe it? Raped!! As if he were some defenseless girl!! How pathetic!!"  Akito began to laugh as Yuki stumbled out of the room, clutching his chest.

Raped.

His brother had been raped...

For a moment, a wave of impotent fury flared in him, and he wanted to beat Akito for laughing so cruelly at his brother's misfortune.  

And then he sank to his knees, trying to hold back his sobs, knowing that he would be unable to lay a hand on Akito.  He was helpless, too... Just like his brother.

TBC...