Curse Of The Snowy Tiger / Fruitbasket fanfic

Fragile

With my mind refreshed I sprint home, leaving behind my past sorrows. Carefully I slide the screen door open and shut behind me. I take a couple of steps before I gasp, my eyes landing on Shigure sitting in the dark. He looks up as I flick off my shoes.
"Couldn't sleep?" I joke and he lightly chuckles with me.
"I was going to say the same." He replies before everything falls silent.

Before I know it Shigure and I sit underneath the stars at 3 am drinking tea on the porch.
He pulls his smoke from his lips and with an exhale, adds another cloud to the sky.
"How's that book coming along?"
He grins slyly while taking another puff off of his smoke.
"Ah I'd say currently suffering writers block." I scoff at his comment.
"It will come to you eventually."
"I hope so." Shigure replies his eyes suddenly lifting to meet my gaze.
"Come, I want to show you something."
Without time to disagree he stands and disappears into the house. Scurrying to my feet I follow him into the darkness. Shigure stands on the first step of the staircase, waiting for me in silence.
He leads me to his room, taking ahold of a book off his shelf. My heart begins to pound as I comprehend the reality of my situation. He eyes me from only an arms length away.
"What?" He questions suddenly smirking. I feel my face fluster at his expression and quickly turn away.
"I've never been in a guys room so late."
Why did I say that, I internally scream as I hear him take a step closer.
"Silly girl." He grumbles tugging me to face him by my jaw.
"Shigu-"
"I'm trying to show you a piece of poetry, why are you thinking such naughty thoughts?" He muses bringing his face real close. In shock and embarrassment I am unable to reply. He chuckles pulling away. Flustered I huff as he continues on looking through his book.
"This. I thought you should see this."
Shigure pulls a withered paper from between the book pages, gesturing it to me. I take it gently into my hands my eyes widening at the familiar writing.
"It's Akito's."

it began with a flower
I watered in hopes of receiving fruits to gather
But found love rather
A beautiful girl I know
I can't have her

For seconds I feel numb before being swept under a tsunami of feelings.
"Shigure what does this mean", I cry grasping for reason. Suddenly I am thrown back into the darkest moment of my life.

"Who was that boy you were talking to? " Akito mumbled annoyed, setting down his cup. "I thought I told you to stay away from the gate, that isn't so hard."
I gulp nervously fumbling with my kimono trying to avoid his eyes.
"He um knows all about the world. We merely just talked."

"Is that so."

Everything becomes deathly silent in an instant and I feel utterly ashamed underneath his gaze.
After what feels like forever I work up the courage to speak.
"May I be excused."

"No."

I quiver at his command, feeling lost for words. His coal black eyes flicker to mine leaving an uneasiness to settle in my chest.

"Akito." I say standing to my feet. The lights in his eyes went out and all in one moment it became clear the anger that was begging to be released from the voids of his eyes.
My body is tossed to the ground like nothing. The pain nips at my face long before the realization.
"Stay down!" Akito screams as his fist rage down on me. I tremble in fear at his sudden outburst, my face low to the ground in pain. Hope lingering low in the pits of my heart.
I slightly lift myself off the ground to glance at the man I loved. To my disobedience his hands come down harder, his screams stinging with rage. That was when I gave in, no longer able to hold in my cries as they flooded from my lips.
"I love you. I love you. I love yo..."
Weakly I repeat between sobs and in an instant the paon stops and Akito is stumbling back. I cautiously glance up to see Akito with his back against the wall, the color drained from his face as he stares wide eyed.
I exhale hard in relief, my skin burning in the places where his hands broke my skin. My eyes fall shut heavily as I slump back down to the floor.