Abekku || A Fruits Basket Fanfiction

Servant Of God

Author Note: Hey, I'm so sorry I'm posting this chapter quite late. School has been a pain and I didn't really get time. Thanks for your support and enjoy this chapter!

"Would you like to explain what happened, Kazuki?" Itsuki's plain brown eyes stare at me in disgust.

"Ah well, don't worry about it," he smiles at me, all jolly.

He helps Ritsu up from the ground and Ritsu goes to fetch the vacuum cleaner.

I carry all the brooms Ritsu left outside, since Itsuki had his hands full with bags of food.

It's too quiet. Itsuki would have said something by now.

"Itsuki, why do you not like Shigure so much? Aren't you two close?" I blurt out, trying to start conversation.

He places the food on the kitchen counter and sighs, "He hurt someone I love and the way he did it was unforgivable. Then he acts all jolly like he's done nothing wrong. Thank goodness he was kicked from the estate." he pauses for a bit.

Kicked from the estate? I thought he just moved out...

"Sorry, I think I've said a bit too much," he says.

Slam

"Ow!"

Michael Jackson?

I rush to the door to see Ritsu on the floor again with a bruise on his forehead. Vacuum cleaner behind him and... He's writing?

"Ritsu, what are you doing?" I ask.

"Writing my will," he answers.

I hear Itsuki from behind me. He pulls the vacuum cleaner with one hand, and with the other hand he yanks Ritsu's jacket collar. I hear Itsuki mutter as he pulls both of them inside.

I take out the food from the bags. McDonald's and...

"I see you saw the macarons I bought, Zuki," Itsuki says. I guess he must have noticed me smiling.

We all sit on the floor and eat our McDonald's talking about all the nonsense we did as children. I try to spare some of the macarons for the other two.

"Hey Itsuki, should I tell Kazuki that story about your name-" Ritsu chokes on some fries and scavenges for some cola. This poor man.

Itsuki finishes eating and claps his hands, "Right! So we have the whole day to clean this house. So Ritsu, sweeping. I'll wash windows and the vases outside. Zuki, please vacuum."

"Yes, sir!" Ritsu and I salute. I finish the last of my fries and chicken nuggets.

Ritsu swallows the last chunk of his burger and raises his hand, gesturing to say something. "No, you won't be in the way," Itsuki says. Ritsu crumples the burger wrapping and awkwardly stands, nodding his head.

"But what if-"

"No, you won't."

"Right. Okay. I'll uh, just go now," Ritsu whispers and heads outside with the brooms.

We all do our bit, cleaning the house. Ritsu keeps sneezing outside. I finish vacuuming: thhe lounge, kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms and hallways.

I'll go and help Itsuki then.

I look for Itsuki around the house and find him at the last few windows near the back of the house. All the other windows were sparkling clean. Itsuki's spacing out.

"Oi, Itsuki! D'you need any help right now? I'm finished with the vacuuming," I ask him.

Itsuki blinks a bit and quietly says, "Huh? Oh yeah, please."

I rinse the cloth in the bucket and started washing a dirty window.

I think back to what Ritsu was trying to say earlier.

"So... What's this story of your name thing? The one Ritsu wanted to share..." I ask.

Itsuki hesitates at first but then tells me, "You know Akito? The one with the God spirit?"

I nod.

"Well, my mom and Akito's mom, Ren, were both pregnant at the same time. Both were competing who'd get a zodiac spirit first. But the thing is, Shigure already had the dog spirit. My mom had already won... But Ren didn't like that."

Competing with children?

"Mom thought I was supposed to get the God spirit, but then Akito was born before me... Ya know, since Zodiac Members are born 2 months early. Naturally mom thought that I would still get a zodiac animal... But I didn't get any."

"My mom gave me the name 'Itsuki', thinking I'd be a zodiac animal. Kanji for 'Servant of God'. Sounds pretty cool, ey?"

I just continue washing the windows.

"But when my mom found I didn't have a zodiac animal, she changed the kanji so that Ren wouldn't mock her for it."

"So, what is Akito to you, then?" I ask him.

"Even if Ren didn't like my mom... I'd say like a younger sibling, even if I'm younger. I've known Akito all my life... But life for Akito is hell."