Reaching for the Sun

I’m sorry it has been so long, I was going to update sooner, but hurricane Rita had other plans for me. Let me tell you, sitting in a loaded van with your crazy schizo Grandmother, 2 birds, 2 dogs, a pair of twin sisters (actually, they are quite fun to talk to, but I prefer not to be squished in the backseat with them, I am sure they felt the same way), My neurotic mother, my father, and my grandmother’s caretaker, for ten straight hours, is no way to gain inspiration. So again, I apologize for the delay (I do procrastinate terribly), but I was worried about many things, all of which are now put to rest.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits basket, if I did, I would have booked a private jet to Madrid, instead of sitting in traffic for over ten hours. In other words, don’t sue me, you would get a pittance, at best. If you have gotten to this chapter, and have yet to realize that this is a fiction in which two MALES are together, then I am really and truly sorry. Yes, horror of horrors, this fic is contains various M/M relationships. If this offends you, read on at your own peril, you may be scarred for life….or you may like it, who knows.

To those who have given me reviews, thank you so much, your support and praise is invaluable to me, as I need motivation to stop procrastinating.

Now, further disclaimerage be damned! On with the story!

A border of stars indicates a some time has been skipped within the chapter.

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I suddenly understood the terror in Shigure’s eyes, and why he had, almost imperceptibly begun to shake. There are few times in my life when I have felt as purely frightened as I did that day.

“What is it you do not want dear Yuki knowing…..Haru kun?” A smooth saccharine sweet voice with an undertone of deadly poison. Standing there in the hallway, looking for all the world like innocence personified, was Akito, and he knew my secret.

Both mine and Shigure’s jaws dropped, but we quickly recovered our presence of mind, and closed them.
“Akito-san, we did not know you were going to drop by, is something wrong?” Came Shigure’s tentative query.

“No, nothing is wrong, I just heard that Haru-kun was here, and I need to speak with him urgently. It is about a matter that he may find…..interesting, I believe.” As he said this, he ushered me into the living room, and then tossed a sharp look at Shigure.

“Leave us, and do make sure that Tohru does not come in here.” It was a command issued in such a soft voice that if not a Sohma, you would not hear the cold steel that lay beneath.

Shigure said nothing, but bowed in deference to Akito’s order, leaving me alone with him.

I for one, was quietly terrified.

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He was whispering soothingly in my ear, but its effect was anything but calming. His very presence made it difficult for me to maintain my composure, Akito had that kind of power over most of us. He made demands, and we followed them, he raped our minds and reveled over each tear he made in our shattered soul. He did all of this, and like many an abusive lover, he claimed to love us. What is more…..we loved him back, and we could not imagine life without him.

“You want him don’t you, Haru Kun?” Akito’s breath was cool on the back of my neck, as one hand played almost disinterestedly with the hem of my shirt.

“I…..” Before I could get my shaking voice to say anything, Akito had grabbed me by my hair and spun me to face him. The malice, and madness in his eyes was so stark that I could barely contain my gasp of surprise.

“If you ask me nicely, I will make him so terrified that he will run to your side….sweet Haru. You will no longer have to sneak touches in the dark….”One finger traced around my lips as this escaped him, as a hiss escapes a particularly deadly Cobra.

“I will make him yours…..make him love you….the way he could never love me. He will love you…..oh how he will beg for you to pay him even the slightest of notice. What is mine, is mine to give away…mine….Yuki is mine…soon though……very soon, he will look on you as his only solace.” So many times had I heard him use this tone. It was crazed ranting, hysteria, rage, sorrow, and love, all in one calm utterance of evil incarnate melodic speech. I could hear the collective voices of his curse thrumming below the surface. His face seemed to me, drowned, I could see it, something within Akito had snapped.

“Akito….I can’t accept this, if Yuki is to be mine, then I want it to be genuine…..I want it to be…” Once more, I had been cut off. Things were not looking good for me, and I was becoming more and more aware of the impulse to run.

“ENOUGH!!” Akito was shrieking as a man possessed. The hand which had been so gentle in it’s previous caresses of my face became clawed, tearing at the skin on the side of my neck and face. I tried to shield myself from the onslaught of his lightning flash rage, but Akito was not known for his vicious streak for nothing. Years of training had taught me to keep my silence, even in pain, but this only served to anger him more. I could not very well fight back, as Black Haru wanted me to, he was the head of my family, and, this form of Akito was not only unstable, but also malevolence personified.

“Akito….please, I am sorry, it’s not that your gift is not welcome…..I just….can’t gain his love like that, I could never live with myself.” I was panting with pain and exertion, but he had to have heard me, or at least I hoped so.

~“But, we both know, you have not won his affection with your other previous efforts. What makes you think anything will change? His offer does sound….tempting in a way, doesn’t it?”~ My other side was beginning to remind me a lot of Akito, so I chose to ignore that rather disturbing comment.

“You really do love Yuki don’t you, Haru-kun…” His voice sounded a bit misty, far away, as though he was lost in a the haze of memory. Just as suddenly as the softening of his voice, his anger ceased, like high tide going back out to the ocean.

“I…..just want you to be happy, because I love you…I love you all, my dear, dear family….” He was speaking softly again, gazing into my eyes as if searching for answers to a question. His touch had become gentle again, sliding through the strands of my two toned hair. He seemed to be horrified by the wounds he had inflicted, and moved quickly to phone Hatori.

After a moment, he had returned to my side, promising me that all would be well soon. By this time, the room seemed to be fading in and out of focus, and I could not really make out much of what Akito said to me.

“Akito…please, don’t hurt Yuki…please, he’s already suffered…..” I knew I sounded weak, there was no denying that I was going to pass out soon.

“But, I want to give this to you, I want at least one person to remember me with love…..please, let me redeem myself.” He was pleading with me softly, his tone spoke to me of desperation, loneliness, confusion, and long nights without comfort or love. Looking at him I realized just how empty his life must be, and I understood why Tohru told me she pitied him.

“Love is not something you can just give to someone like a gift, Akito-san. If it were that simple, it would lose all of it’s mystique, and then what would we do?” I watched as he took in my comment, waiting for a moment before I spoke again.

“You can however send him some gifts in my name to help me win him over….and, we do love you, you just…..scare us sometimes” I said the last bit with no small measure of nervousness. I was already in considerably bad shape, on the floor, and I hoped he would take it well.

“I see…well Haru-kun….I have chosen to forgive you for the transgression of refusing my gift, for now. We will speak again.” With that final word, he got up to leave, or so I thought.

“Oh, and Haru-kun…” Like a flash fire, that fury he had shown before was back. “I will not always be so lenient…” He delivered a swift kick to my skull, his lips turning up into the smile of a sadist. Then, he was gone, as strangely and as suddenly as he had appeared.

Those words ingrained themselves into my memory as the blackness swirled around me. The last thing I remember is Tohru running into the room closely followed by a pajama clad Yuki, and Shigure, before darkness closed in, and I lost consciousness.

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Alrighty, I think this is the longest chapter I have written, and I still have to unpack my damned suitcase.
I hope you all liked it, I cherish my reviews like treasure, so, please review.

The next chapter is already in the works (meaning my brain) so I’m pleased as far as that goes.
Adios to all, see you soon.

^_^