Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Black & White Heart ❯ First Time For Everything ( Chapter 14 )

Chapter 14: First Time For Everything

This was ridiculous! Where the hell had Haru disappeared too? Yuki continued to search around looking for Haru, and seeing neither him nor Akito. Having one last place to try, Yuki walked towards the locker rooms. There he saw Tohru walking towards him, looking at the ground with a worried expression, not seeing Yuki was there.

"Miss Honda!" Yuki cried as she nearly walked into him.

"Ohh, Yuki!" she said startled, her head snapping back up from looking at the floor.

"Are you alright?" he asked, as she seemed to stand there dazed.

"Hmm? Oh yes, I'm fine." She smiled, waving her hands in front of her to try to prove she was okay and not in the slightest bit worried about what she had just witnessed.

"Okay," Yuki said, not too convinced though, "Have you seen Haru?"

Tohru flinched slightly at that but quickly smiled again, "Oh, I think Haru wasn't feeling too well so he went home." I can't tell Yuki Akito was here, no matter happened with Haru. I don't want to cause Yuki any trouble or worry.

"Went home?" Yuki wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. If he truly wasn't feeling well, then the good point would be at least he wouldn't see Akito, but what if he was lying? What if he had only said he wasn't feeling well because he had already seen Akito and something….something had happened? "I hope he's alright." he said, trying to not sound too worried, "Are you heading for lunch Miss Honda?"

"Oh, err, yes I am."

"May I join you?"

Tohru grinned, Good, he didn't catch on, "Sure."

There was nothing he could do for now, he'd just have to make sure to get home quickly after school.

-----

Saying Akito was slightly annoyed was putting it incredibly mildly. Saying Akito was angry was getting a little closer, but not quite enough. Saying Akito felt like pulling Hatori's windpipe out and using it to beat him to near death was a lot more like it. And why Hatori you ask? Because he happened to be in Akito's line of sight at the time as he walked towards him through the courtyard of the Estate. He watched the doctor as he stood waiting by the entrance to the main house, and the anger began to bubble again. His pace quickened as he walked towards the older man, intent on doing…doing something, to make him feel better.

Hatori watched his walk turn into more of a march, and suddenly realised what was going to happen, "Akito, I don't think you should be-"

SPLAT!

Akito suddenly found himself flat on his back as he slipped on some hidden ice.

-----

Haru walked into Shigure's house, since calmed down and now feeling a little depressed.

"Haru?!" Shigure exclaimed sticking his head round the corner of his office, startled to see the young boy in the middle of a school day.

"Akito came to school." Haru said flatly, taking his snow-soaked shoes off by the door and walking into Shigure's office.

Shigure's usual smiling face had fallen and he watched as Haru sat down on the floor leaning against one of the many bookcases. Neither of them said anything for a moment before Shigure decided he'd better get the conversation going.

"What did he say?"

Haru picked behind him at a book and tossed open the pages, mindlessly flicking through with no interest whatsoever. "What do you think he said? He said I should stay away from Yuki."

"Did he say anything about…your parents?"

"Yeah, and I told him straight off that he can't use her against me."

Shigure frowned forlornly, "You didn't turn Black on him again did you?"

Haru looked to the floor with saddened eyes, "Yeah. But not as bad as last time. It was because of that I tried not to go Black." Haru put the book back in its place and stared at his hands, "I'll never forgive Akito for doing that." He sighed, "And I'll never forgive myself either."

Shigure's face was somber and serious, "I told you before Haru, don't even think about blaming yourself for what happened, there was no way you could have known Akito was holding something like that."

Haru leant his head back against the bookcase and looked up at the ceiling, "I guess."

Shigure watched him for a moment. Tomorrow would be a week since Haru moved in with them, and today, today was a week since….

"Are you going to be alright today Haru?"

Haru looked at a small crack in the ceiling and sighed softly, "Yeah," he replied, a small sad smile finding his lips, "I'll be alright as long as Yuki's around."

Shigure smiled at that, after all, that was the reason he had suggested Haru moved in with him. The guy was automatically happy with Yuki, no matter what problems he may have had, Yuki certainly made him smile.

Yet Shigure's smile faded and he asked one more question, "Are you going to tell Yuki? It's not good to keep something like this bottled up inside you know."

Haru truly smiled at that, "Mmm, I probably will eventually," before it turned into a soppy grin, "once I manage to convince him I'm the only one he wants!"

Shigure smiled kindly. Yep, if Yuki was around, Haru would be happy. But how long would he stay happy with Yuki not responding to any of Haru's obvious advances? Even though at the back of Shigure's mind there was a voice saying it was all his fault for interrupting them all the time, but still-

"ATCHOOO!"

Shigure was knocked out of his reverie when Haru sneezed violently. It was only then Shigure noticed that his clothes were damp. Shigure raised an eyebrow in question, "Haru, you didn't get lost on the way back from school did you?"

Haru looked up at him from the floor "Well, everything looks really different covered in snow." He said, as though it was the most obvious explanation in the world.

Shigure fell off his chair.

"Ahhh," Shigure sighed, rubbing his head and clambering back on his chair, "What are we gonna do with you?" he asked, before Haru sneezed again.

-----

"Yuki…YUKI!"

Yuki snapped his head up from staring outside the window and faced a rather peeved looking teacher. "The fourteenth chapter please?" the teacher persisted, looking down at Yuki's text book on his desk, "The third paragraph."

"Oh, I apologise."

As Yuki read the sentence required, Tohru watched him thoughtfully. He was such a calm person to look at. You could just watch him in a sort of daze, his large bright eyes skimming over the text on the page. He had such a collected composure, even though he had just been caught daydreaming. Tohru wondered if he did suspect something or not. She had hid behind the door of another room and had heard every word that had conspired between Haru and Akito. What was Akito talking about? What is Haru hiding from them all? Tohru bit her lower lip, beginning to panic again. Ohh, now she wanted to go home to see if Haru was alright!

"Tohru Honda!"

"Whahaa yes?!" she panicked, rocketing up from her chair.

The teacher blinked surprised at her movement, "Err, could you read the next part please?"

"Huh?" Tohru looked down at her textbook and then at Yuki, who too was looking at her stunned, "Ah! Yes, sorry." She quickly said, sitting back down.

"What is with these kids?" the teacher mumbled to himself, as Tohru read as though she was about to have a panic attack and Yuki returned to staring outside his window.

-----

Akito sat in the shadows of his room, watching the darkened snowflakes float gently to the ground in the dim evening light. He had lost all reason to think now, he just sat and watched, as he did most every night, and listened to the silence that filled the small space he spent most of his time in. But the usual silence was interrupted by a knock on his door.

"What do you want?" was his usual response.

The door slid open and Shigure stood on the other side.

-----

Ok, the clock was definitely running backwards. Yuki sat practically on the edge of his seat waiting for the clock to tick its way over to 4pm. It had been stuck on 3.59 for what seemed like the whole afternoon. For both Yuki and Tohru it had been liked this, and while the other students were lazing about in a bored stupor, Yuki and Tohru were wide awake for all the wrong and unwanted reasons. Yuki's rucksack was all ready and waiting to go home, so as soon as that bell rang he would be out of here as fast as he possibly could.

Finally that delightful sound rang through the building and Yuki grabbed his bag, flying past the rest of the desks and out the door, ignoring the teacher waving the students book at him for what homework to be set. Tohru attempted to do the same, although on grabbing her bag it got caught on the back of her chair, causing her to yank backwards and falling into the unsuspecting lap of Kane.

WHACK!!

"Heeeeeey!" Kane whined, rubbing his head, "What was that for?" he asked, as he glanced up at Uo cracking her knuckles at him.

"You get away from her."

"SHE FELL ON ME!!"

WHACK!!

"Come on Tohru." Uo said grabbing her arm, walking out the door.

"Oh, but Uo I….."

No, she couldn't tell her what she was worried about. Besides, Yuki is on his way home, so Haru would be alright.

Kane held his head tightly now, "Aw man, what's the point in trying to be nicer to people when all they do is hit you?"

"Arisa is not the best to first try on."

"Wah!" Kane jumped out of his chair in shock at Hana standing behind him. Hana slowly looked across at him and stared at him, her eyes wide and unemotional as always, "Err…" Kane began, as she still did nothing but stare.

"Have a pleasant evening Kane Murasaki."

As she walked out of the door off to find Tohru and Uo, Kane stood and watched her go before shivering. "Hmph. If someone like that can make friends I must be doing something really wrong."

-----

Akito's eye narrowed as Shigure knelt down in his usual spot whenever he wanted to talk to him. "Let me guess," Akito said quietly, "The Ox had come running back to you spilling all the details. Hmm, they all seem to run to you don't they?"

Shigure eyed him seriously. He wouldn't let Akito play his little retort games with him, "No. He didn't tell me much; just enough to know what was threatened against him."

Akito gritted his teeth, furious at himself that he couldn't do anything to stop what was happening. It was the first time in his existence that he couldn't stop something from not going his way, and he hated it.

-----

Running on ice and snow was not a good idea, but right now Yuki's own safety was not even a concern. If Akito had followed Haru home, if Akito was there……… Yuki began to run faster. He didn't know what he'd do if he was there, and he knew Shigure would be there, but still…

…please, please Akito don't be there!!

-----

"I am not here to say anything against you Akito." Shigure continued softly, "I just think it would be easier on yourself if you just let this happen. If you allow-"

"NO! I WILL NOT ALLOW IT!" Akito raged, hitting the wall he was leaning against with the side of his fist.

Shigure took a deep breath to remain calm, "Why not?" he asked, "Why do you insist on keeping this hold on Yuki?" Akito gritted his teeth as he glared out the window, "You have already let him live outside the Estate, it would ease your own suffering if you would let him go completely."

-----

Yuki ran round the corner of a tree, slipping slightly but not letting himself fall. He could see the house now through the trees. The closer he got however, the more his heart began to race. Akito, Akito could be just inside.

-----

Akito slipped down the wall and sat back down on the floor, his face loosing some of the pent up rage that had been building.

"Wouldn't it be easier for yourself if you just let the two of them do as they wish? If you keep on trying to control them when they are obviously not going to comply, it will only cause you more strain."

Akito felt drained. He had been angry a lot today, so now just sat staring at the wall as Shigure continued to try to convince him. Shigure could see how quiet and relaxed Akito and suddenly become. Perhaps this was working? He pondered whether or not he should say what he was thinking, and decided that at this point, there wasn't much more that could go wrong anyway.

"Let Haru love Yuki." He watched carefully for any reaction, but saw none, "Let him forget what happened here."

-----

Seeing no one on the lower floor of the house, Yuki sprinted up the stairs and flew open his bedroom door.

There, fast asleep in his bed, was Haru.

There was an extra blanket wrapped around him, and a slight rosy hue to his cheeks. Yuki slowly put the back of his hand on Haru's forehead, and even though it wasn't good that he had a fever, Yuki smiled. Sitting down at the edge of the bed, Yuki felt so relieved Akito wasn't here. He guessed Haru truly had been ill when he went home. Yuki scoffed at himself for being so paranoid. And besides, why should he feel so worried if Haru would have had to go back to the main house if Akito had ordered it anyway? He had never lived with him before after all.

Yuki frowned questionably at his own thought. Come to think of it, why was he afraid to loose Haru now?

-----

As the murky outside finally turned to night, Akito stared at the stars from the floor. Shigure had left half an hour ago, and Akito hadn't moved from that spot. Why did he say it? Why did he let the one thing he had wanted to keep close to him go? Was it guilt? Is that why? After what he had done to Haru did he feel indebted to let him do as he wanted? But that can't be it; Akito never has emotions like that. Akito was the head of the household! People do as he commands, no matter what may have happened!

Yet…still…something was bothering him.

Akito looked down to the pocketknife he held in his hand. It was a mistake, what he did that one week ago, but this was the first time he had ever, ever felt guilty.

-----

Shigure walked home quietly through the still snow covered streets, silently smiling to himself. Well, he thought, There's a first time for everything.

To Be Continued…