Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Light in My Life ❯ Flowers ( Chapter 14 )

14: Flowers

Tohru kneeled beside Akito's futon that day. She read a book, giggling when the main character did something silly; she let out a shocked gasp when something unexpected happened; and she sniffed after the occurrence of tragic events.

So engaged in the story was she, Tohru was unaware when there was a slight movement in the futon. Akito had fallen asleep some time after eating, and the sound of the girl laughing brought him out of his peaceful rest. She was obviously stifling giggles, and he could hear pages ruffling. His mind was a healthy fog, and he could recall nothing about the situation beside the warm taste of bananas in his mouth.

Akito slowly opened his eyes, his long, dark lashes blotting out his vision for some moments. He faced a slightly open door, and a soothing breeze drifted into the room. It caressed his slightly visible face, painting cool lines across his pale skin.

Tohru jumped at the sudden movement of Akito's head coming out from beneath his protective shell of blankets. "Akito-san?" she asked nervously. There was a heavy, stretched out moment of silence. It dragged on, accentuated by the silent breeze drifting into the room.

"Why is the door open?" Tohru set her book down, quickly standing up.

"I apologize, Akito-san. It was just really hot, and the air was making my throat hurt, and I thought fresh air would be good for you because the weather was nice out," she replied nervously. She put her hand on it and moved to close the sliding panel, but a wheeze from Akito stopped her.

"It's not unpleasant," he said. His voice was scratchy and was barely audible, but he had managed it. Tohru looked back at him, her face beaming. "What are you doing here?"

Tohru turned around, her face looking worried. "I heard Akito-san was ill, and I wanted to try to make him feel better," she told him, her voice quivering slightly. At first, Akito smirked inside; he had really scared her when he had grabbed her by the hair and threatened her violently. It was rather gratifying, until he saw she seemed more nervous about her own presence then about him.

Akito hissed. "I don't need your efforts," his whisper voice growled. Tohru nodded slowly, kneeling on the ground beside his futon. She lifted a tray he had failed to notice previously off the floor, her hands shaking as she held it. She bowed, and he could smell a familiar rosy scent. "What is that?"

Tohru blinked. "Pardon me?" she asked, looking startled.

Akito sniffed, letting out a growl. "What is that smell?" he demanded again, sounding as if his vocal chords were struggling to utter more than a strained choke. Tohru's nervousness increased, and a drop of sweat could be seen on her forehead.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied honestly, still holding the trembling tray in her hands. Akito hissed. He saw one small, candied banana still on a plate next to the empty bowl of miso, but didn't say anything on the matter. She had probably caused his cooks a great deal of trouble with such a request.

"It must be those flowers!" he decided, coughing slightly. Tohru moved to put down the tray and attend to him, but he narrowed his eyes at her from beneath the blankets. "Remove them at once. I hate their smell." Tohru nodded slowly, walking over to the vase and removing the flowers. She placed them on the mat at the bottom of the tray and bowed. Without another word, she acquitted the room.

Akito lay for some moments, his eyes still half open. He moved one stiff limb, drawing the white blankets up around his face. Damn girl. She should have just left him alone.

***

"Tohru?" Hatori asked, watching as Tohru passed his doorway. She turned to him with a questioning expression.

"I was just leaving. Thank you for letting me use the kitchen," she said with a smile. Hatori blinked.

"It's still early," he commented thoughtfully. Tohru only shook her head.

"I don't think Akito wants me around," she replied, merely shrugging. Hatori raised his eyebrows.

"I wasn't aware that he was able to express such thoughts."

Tohru cocked one eyebrow slightly. "He told me he didn't like the flowers, and he didn't really need me. He is Akito-san, and he is right," she replied. "I will call you." With finality, Tohru turned and passed the open doors outside, closing them behind her.

Hatori tilted his head thoughtfully, then rose to his feet. Padding down the hallway, he lightly opened Akito's door.

"May I come in?" he asked. He heard a slight shuffling sound.

"Hatori?" came a quiet, grinding voice. Hatori walked inside swiftly, looking at the man now lying on his back. His eyes were open, and he regarded the doctor with a bored expression.

"I assume you are feeling better?" Hatori asked. He wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed. He had respect for Akito, and would never blame anything on the boy, even his actions. He was a result of circumstance and consequence, but Akito was the source of all the Jyuunishi's problems. With his death, there would be only another miserable soul to follow.

"No," Akito replied. There was a silence, and Hatori unconsciously gulped. A strange smell permeated the air; it was a combination of a natural breeze, which drifted in through the open sliding panels, and a sweet, flowery smell. Usually, Akito's space reeked of musk and sterility, because the frail man had a compulsive peeve of things natural and unclean. But he had failed to object, and Hatori didn't mind the change at all.

"Are you hungry?" Hatori tried again. He remembered Tohru making food for Akito, but she hadn't expressed the results of her endeavor.

"No." The response was swift and emotionless, as was most of Akito's speech. Hatori stood in the doorway for some moments more, before the bluish-haired man broke the silence. "Is there anything else?"

Hatori shook his head. "Nothing," he replied, before turning and closing the door behind him. Something had happened in there.

People on their death beds didn't just magically recover. Temperamental children didn't suddenly change their tolerance levels. And Akito never, ever tolerated leaving or entering without proper salutations.

***

Tohru smiled brightly as she was greeted by a familiar head of orange hair outside her work building. She waved. "Kyou-kun!" she called. The boy turned, nodding at her silently.

"Work was well?" he asked. Tohru grinned and nodded.

"Momiji-kun helped me today! He pushed the cart for me," she told him enthusiastically. Kyou never had the heart to tell her the rabbit just liked her more than anyone else he had met before. "Kyou-kun," Tohru said, getting his attention.

"Yeah?"

Tohru glanced at her feet nervously. "I need to go by the store. The flower shop isn't open at night, but there is a late night grocery store that closes in a few minutes. Is that alright?" she asked.

Kyou raised his eyebrows. "What for?"

Tohru bit her lip. "Akito-san didn't like the other flowers I brought..." she said. Kyou grunted loudly.

"Don't go there anymore!" he growled. "Especially if he doesn't like the flowers you brought for him."

Tohru looked up. "He just didn't like how they smelled!" she said in Akito's defense. Kyou raised one eyebrow. "If I brought some different ones, I'm sure he would like them."

The cat sighed. It was absolutely useless to argue with her about anything, and she always managed to get emotional about his always rude or harsh objections.

"Fine. But this is the last time," he conceded. Tohru smiled widely, blushingly linking her arm with his.