Akito (A Fruits Basket Fanfiction)

Am I too strange even for you?

"You're it!" sang one of the children, stumbling past excitedly.

The little girl who was 'it' dashed towards Yuki who was giggling like a maniac and in horror, I realised that she was about to slam into him, she seemed unable to control her childish clumsiness and was hurtling like a speeding train about to crash into a shy, 7 year old boy who was too awkward to move out of the way.

POP!

There was a sudden eruption of grey, billowing smoke and I felt Hatori dash away from my side where he'd been slouched, revising Biology for his university exam as we spied on Yuki, to go and clean up.

The children were screaming, all of Yuki's little friends, all panicking as they stared at the tiny little rodent who was passed out on the floor. I got up and followed Hatori to the scene but I avoided getting too close: children terrified me.

"Here, would you take Yuki?" asked Hatori as he removed a sodden rag from the mouth one of Yuki's friends. I looked at the rag, I looked at the child slumped on the ground and a disconcerted expression crossed my face momentarily.

"Don't worry, it's just sleeping gas" explained Hatori.

I regained control of my face and managed a snarl. "You should have just killed them. You're so overly sentimental Hatori"

"Right" he said slowly. "So, what do you want me to do?"

"Wipe their memories" I answered dismissively.

"I suppose"

"Hatori" I murmured, pondering on something that had been troubling all day. "Have you seen... Shigure recently"

He studied my face for a second in surprise. "Well, yes. I saw him at his house party last night"

"Oh" I said, my face falling slightly. "I wasn't aware that he had thrown a party."

Hatori seemed confused as to why this was such a big deal and he smiled. "Well, it was fun anyway. Kana was there, you know Kana... Kana Sohma?"

Oh great. So Shigure had invited a Sohma who was younger than me and didn't even know about the zodiac but not someone that just 6 years ago would consider me his best friend.

We'd drifted apart, Shigure and I. Well, no, that wasn't true; I'd stayed still and Shigure had drifted away from me, getting further and further every single day until it had come to the point where we no longer acknowledged the other's existence. Of course, I understood why: I was too strange for him, too unlovable. Shigure was, after all, 20 years of age now and in college and sharing a flat with Ayame and he probably didn't want some needy, dependant cross dresser following him around everywhere he went. Well, apart from Ayame I mean. But I was only 17, I couldn't go to college yet and besides I'd been homeschooled all my life and I didn't understand how to react to social situations and I was just generally not... acceptable. All of the Sohmas were strange and it wasn't as if Shigure had been proud of our friendship even in the old days but it seemed that I had become too strange even for him.

I took Yuki back to Sohma house and left Hatori alone to wipe the children's memory. Once he'd transformed back into a human, he asked me what had happened to his friends.

"Hatori is wiping their memories as we speak" I told him. "We can't allow them to find out about what you are."

Yuki nodded, his eyes drooping. "Am I really that strange? Am I such a strange person that we have to go to such lengths to hide it?"

Slightly shaken, I pondered this for a moment. "Why, yes, you are. You are strange. After all, what kind of boy changes into a rat?"

"W-what would happen if people found out?" stammered Yuki.

"If anyone finds out what you are, they will be sickened. They will turn away from you. They will not talk to you in six years, and throw parties without you" I said blankly. Because it was true. Shigure had found out how strange I was and had turned away from me.

"The only way you can prevent this is by avoiding normal people, who will hate you for who you are"

Yuki looked up in confusion. "Are you saying I should only speak to members of our family?"

"I think that would be in your best interests" I said coldly. "Don't you?"

Shigure was, by most people's standards, not a particularly normal person. But he had been my only friend and to have him turn against me was only proof of just how strange I really must be.

After waking up alone again, I dressed myself and went downstairs to find Hatori, who was rolling his eyes in despair as Momiji ran in circles round the living room squealing. When I entered, Momiji shut up immediately and sat down on the floor.

"Hatori" I said. "I'd like it if you would go and give Yuki a check up. His asthma might be getting worse"

Hatori looked at me in confusion. "But he's at school today"

"Yes, Hatori, that's why you need to go to school to give him the check-up."

"But I'm minding Momiji today"

"I dare say you can take Momiji with you. Now, go on, and if it's at all possible I'd like you to take a picture of Yuki and Kyo" I said briskly.

There was a polite cough as Hatori stepped into my office. He was followed by Shigure, who was hiccuping.

"He's very drunk" Hatori explained. "I thought I'd better bring him back with me. The school is doing some kind of fundraising event and I'm afraid it involves rather a lot of alcohol"

"Hey Kitoooooooo!" Shigure slurred.

"Great" I sighed. "So, is Yuki's asthma all right"

"Yeah. He was very embarrassed to have a check up in the middle of school though" smirked Hatori.

"Were people looking at him in disgust?" I asked hopefully.

"Disgust? I'd say adoooooraaayshun!" giggled Shigure. "Everyone lovesssss Yuuukki!"

"I got a picture" Hatori announced pulling one out of his pocket. He held it up to me and I snorted. Yuki, in a hideous salmon pink dress, was grinning as he stood next to an equally cheerful Kyo.

"What?" I asked in amusement. "Why is Yuki dressed like a woman?"

"It'sssss weird isn't it?" said Shigure, who was attempting to hug Hatori. "Yuki shouldn't... people shouldn't... dress like the wrong gendaar! Except Ayame cos he can rock it!"

Hatori glared at him pointedly and I forced a smile. Too strange for Shigure again.

"It's funny, don't you think?" Hatori asked me, maybe as an attempt to change the subject. "Shigure gets drunk which makes him act stupid which makes him get drunker which makes him act stupider"

"It's an endless cycle" I mused. "Like which came first, the chicken and the egg? Which happened first, the stupidity or the alcohol"

"Ooh, I know a joke about that" Shigure yelled excitedly. "It'ss dirrty though"

"Oh great" Hatori sighed.

"So, um, the chicken and the egg sleep together" said Shigure, dropping his voice in fear that any nearby children or innocent young women may hear his 'dirty joke'. "And then they're lying in bed afterwards and the chicken says- haha, this is funny- the chicken says 'Well, I think we answered that question!"

There was a long pause in which Hatori and I exchanged looks and Shigure rolled on the floor, clutching his stomach and laughing like a fool.

"Right" said Hatori finally. "Well, I might go"

"Bye bye Hatowiiiiiiii!" Shigure sang.

Hatori left and I turned to go too when Shigure, who was still lying on the floor, poked me in the ankle. "Kito?"

"Hmm" I muttered, attempting to follow Hatori. "What is it?"

He sighed contently and mumbled "Love you Kito"

I froze. "What did you say?"

There was a long silence until Shigure finally said. "Umm... a dirty chicken joke?"

Rolling my eyes in both disappointment and relief, I stalked out of the room.