✔Summer Rain |Fruits Basket| HatsuHaru Sohma

38- Difficult

  "Haru?"  

Haru turned his head to the direction of the voice, his eyes meeting Akito's.  "Akito-san."  He nodded, biting back a scowl.  "Why are you out of the main house?"

  "I needed a walk.  Tell me, was that Mei?"  They asked, peering around the gate just as Mei's head disappeared around the corner.

  Haru stiffened, and nodded.  "Yes."

  "So she wasn't scared off by me?"  They hummed, coming up to him.  They linked arms with him, smiling wickedly.  "That's new."

  "After that shit you pulled, I was afraid she'd never talk to me again."  He hissed, cowering back from their touch.  

  Akito glanced up at him, batting their lashes innocently.  "I apologize."

  Haru narrowed his eyes, looking directly down at Akito.  "What are you planning?"

  "What?  I can't apologize for scaring her?"  Akito asked, kicking a stone as they walked; more like forced; Haru down the path towards the main house.  They looked up at Haru with an evil glint in their eyes.  "Of course."  They laughed, unlatching themselves from him.  "I wanted to tell you.  I won't stop you from seeing Mei, as of now, you have my full consent to be with her."

  Haru stopped walking, dead in his tracks.  "What?"

  "But that doesn't mean I won't try and stop you from leaving my side."  They smiled.  "Sooner or later, you'll come back to me, and Mei will be just another memory.  So for now, enjoy your little fantasy, because it'll come crashing down before you notice."

  "You bast-"

  "And as for Isuzu."  They started.  "I had thought about releasing her from my care, but seeing as you have someone new, I think I'll keep her.  She is a good little pet when she needs to be."  They bounced on their heels, grinning.  "I think that's fair, don't you?"

  Haru bit his tongue, holding himself back from lashing out.  "Yes, Akito-san."  He nodded, letting out a deep sigh.

  "Great!"  They chirped.  "Give my regards to Mei, I thought she was quite a sweet thing, stupid, but sweet."  They waved, walking off in the opposite direction before Haru could say anything more.

  He ground down on his teeth, fists clenched at his side.  A few months ago, he would have lashed out immediately.  Now, things were different.  He was wary of keeping himself in check, keeping the dark side pushed to the back.  He had Mei to thank for that.  Akito would do anything to keep Haru latched to their side, but he was willing to push back against their control on his life.

He sighed, making his way toward his apartment when his phone chimed in his pocket.  He pulled it out, quitely chuckling when Yuki's name appeared on the screen.

  "Yo."  Haru mumbled, bringing the phone to his ear.  "What'd you need?"

  "Just wanted to make sure that you and Mei-san got home in one piece."  Yuki explained.  "So, how was your walk?  Did she try and strangle you?"

  "Yuki."  Haru grumbled.  "Butt out."

  "Listen Haru.  I'm just looking out for the two of you.  You're getting yourself into a messy situation, and I want to make sure you're both safe."  He sighed.  "I've known Mei-san since we started high school, she's stubborn, and you're just as stubborn.  I know neither of you are going to let this situation sit quietly, so I've got to be the middle man for now."

  Haru stared up at the setting sun and sighed.  "Thank you, Yuki."

  "Anytime."

  "I just ran into Akito, I thought you should know if you're going to be involved."  He spoke, digging his keys out of his pocket.

  "What?"  Yuki huffed, sounding as exasperated as ever.  "Haru, what happened?"

  "They "gave me their blessing" or some bullshit."  He quoted, kicking open the door to his apartment.  "And they told me that they're keeping Rin involved in whatever game they're playing.  It's fucking stupid."

  "Akito isn't going to give up easy either."  Yuki agreed.  "Poor Rin, she shouldn't have to be involved in any of this."

  "Yeah."  Haru nodded.  "Hey- have you been- feeling weird lately?"  He spoke suddenly, his thoughts coming back to earlier.  "Like, different?"

  "Different how?"  

  "Well-"  He didn't know how to describe it.  "I haven't been split between "dark and light Haru" like usual.  The dark moments are really dark, and the light moments I feel like I'm floating on air.  But every other time in between I feel just- normal."

  "Maybe Mei's had some sort of effect on your emotions."  Yuki laughed.  "I don't think it's something to worry about, just try and keep your emotions in check so we don't have an event like earlier."

  "Right.  I don't know what I was thinking.  I'm gonna go, I just got home."  Haru explained, setting his phone down on the counter on speaker.  "I'll see you at school tomorrow."

  "Of course.  Goodnight Haru, be safe."  

  He listened for the click of the phone line going dead before letting out a deep, low groan.  "Fuck."  He mumbled.

  Yuki was right, this was getting messy.  Akito wasn't going to give up, and Haru knew that.  He was going to have to be protective of Mei, but he didn't know how to do that when Akito could control his every thought.  If it was up to him, the curse would be broken by now, and he and Mei wouldn't have to worry about all of this.  

  Rin would be safe.  he didn't even know how to deal with that whole situation yet, and when it came to that point he had no clue how he was going to give her up completely.  It was his fault she was where she was right now, and to betray her felt like the shittiest thing he could do now.

  "Damn it."  He grumbled, staring out the window at the moon.  "Why's this shit got to be so difficult?"

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Word Count: 981 Words