𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙨 𝙆𝙞𝙩𝙨𝙪𝙣𝙚 -𝘼𝙣 𝙄𝙨𝙚𝙠𝙖𝙞 𝙁𝙖𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙘-

A Mother's Love?

I rub my legs against each other. This is my first time at the main house. Shigure invited me here. But, why here instead of his own house? I'm not sure.

'Maybe I got this wrong.' As I knock again on the door. 'Maybe I should just leave...'

'Who are you, and what is your reason to be here?' An elderly servant demands, opening the door.

'I'm Tanaka Hashi, Shigure Sohma told me to come here.' I gulp.

'Yes, they've been expecting you.' Oh, shoot. Is this going to be my first "official" meeting what Akito? Was Shigure setting me up? 

I enter the entrance and take my shoes off, like what is expected. 'Bring your shoes with you.' She tells me.

'Oh.'

'And keep your voice down.' She leads me through a passage of side rooms and small halls. One time, we go through a room that doesn't look like it's been used in ages. It's covered in dust and smells like old people, which is a smell I am very acquainted to, because of Sobo and her friends. 

'Miss Hashi.' The servant says, opening the door to a brightly lit room, in which Akito and Shigure sit. 

'Thank you very much, Konani. You may leave us.' Akito orders. She bows, and silently leaves the room. 

'Sit, Tana-chan!' Shigure slaps the floor right next to him.

'Since when have I been Tana-chan? And since when have I been in secretive meetings and what nots?' I ask, sitting down, not next to him. Shigure waggles his eyebrows a bit. Of course he does.

'My mother rarely approves of outsiders. Although she rarely approves of anything.' Akito scoffs. 

'That's not the only reason you're hear. Right Akito?' Shigure says.

'I have no other reason. I was simply getting lonely with all of the people I'm surrounded by.' Akito turns away from Shigure, who in return, rolls his eyes. I wonder what the other reason was. 

'Oh! Well! You should have just said so. I'm more than happy to hang out with you Akito. Even if it is in, uh, secret.' I gush. And that's the truth. I'm happy to working on keeping you from turning into a total bag of crap. Which, was how I viewed you when I read the manga.

'Well. Look at that, I told you she wouldn't be weirded out by it.' Shigure butts in. 

'So.... what are we going to do?' I ask, and right then I hear screaming, faint, but still distinguishable. 

'Excuse me, that's my Mother.' Akito's voice fills with disgust. 'I'll be back soon.' 

'Um.... I don't want to be rude, but where's the closest bathroom?' I ask Shigure, once she's gone. 

'Go out the same door Akito went out, turn left and go down that hall. You'll reach a corner, but right before you do, there'll be a bathroom.'

'Thanks.' I stand up and leave. 

I pull the bathroom door open, and exit into the hall. Where I hear a voice hissing right in the hall to the left of me. Mind your own business, Tanaka. Curiosity killed the cat. But I can't help myself. I need to know, who's voice does it belong to. 

I stick my face out just slightly around the corner to see who it is. And I see Ren, Akito's mother, and Akito. I don't know what she's hissing. But, it's probably something horrible. And then I see her raise her hand. I know I'm fast, I have to be for volleyball. But can I get the quick enough, and intervene? 

There's a loud smacking sound. But it's not Ren hitting Akito. It's my hand smacking her hand, or really her wrist away from Akito. I've done this once before. In my past life, I had to smack away a girl who tried to slap me in High School. But I was right there. I had to get all the way from one side of the hall, to another. 

'Who... who the heck are you?' Ren snaps, rubbing her wrist.

'You shouldn't smack your child.' I state.

'Who are you, to tell me what to do with my child? Insignificant bitch.'

'Who I am is not important. It's the fact that you are trying to hurt your child, is important. Smacking someone is wrong. Smacking is your child, is also wrong. A mother is supposed the be caring, and loving.' I tell her. 

'You don't even belong here. You are some stranger. Some outsider!' Ren shrieks. 

'Actually, Ren. Tanaka has as much right to be here, as you do.' Shigure says, coming into the hall. 'You forget. You child is in charge of this place, technically. Not you.' 

'I invited her here.' Akito finally speaks. 'She is my guest. And she is welcome to this house anytime she wants to come.' 

'This, is outrageous. You, child, are fifthly, welcoming an outsider, into our clan. I should have never given birth to you.' Ren snarls, then she turns on her heel and marches away. 

'Akito? Are you okay?' I ask, turning to face her. She's biting her lower lip, probably trying to not cry. 

'It's not the first time she would have done it.' Akito looks down at the ground.

'But, if you're the head, then why is she allowed to do all this crap to you?' I ask, looking over at Shigure.

'Because, she's my mother. And I can't fully rule the Sohma clan until I'm eighteen. So, she's a placeholder.' 

'Mother! Mother! That woman is, maybe biologically your mother, but with all the words I've heard her say, and how she acts. She's just a harmful person. And people just sit by, and let these things happen?' I, I always knew that Ren had been a horrible mother to Akito. But I never knew it was physical. I always thought it was just verbal and mental. 

'They just do, and us members of the Zodiac don't really have to ability to stop her, she's a stand-in God.' Shigure sighs.

I am at lost for words. I don't know what to say about this. I always knew I had to try and keep Akito from turning bad. But, when it means literally fighting tooth and claw against verbal, emotional, and physical abuse? I guess I'm just going to have to work even harder. 

'And that was the other thing, Tanaka. You don't have to hide the fact that you know about the Zodiac. Just, don't go around running your mouth.' Shigure says.

'I don't plan on it.'

'Lord Akito, is there something you need?' The head servant asks Akito as we walk into the kitchen. 

'From here on out, Sakuto, this girl right here, Tanaka Hashi, is allowed to visit the main house whenever she pleases. And you will make her feel welcome.' Akito tells her. 

I look up at a clock and see that it's nearly five-thirty. 'I need to get going, Akito.' I say. 

'Really? It feels like you've barely been here.'

'I'll come back again. Especially since now, I don't have to worry about your guard dog servants. Next time, I promise I'll be here longer.' I promise.

'I'll walk you out to the main gate, Tanaka.' Shigure says.

'You know, I didn't expect you to stand up to Ren like that. I know I've never stood up to her.' Shigure says as we walk to the gate.

'Well, I've had my own dose of a mother who didn't necessarily like me. I don't want to see that happen again, if I can help it.' I sigh. 

'Oh, really? Well, I feel you'll have a lot of work here at the Sohma estate then. Especially with the members of the Zodiac. Next time you come, you'll have to have Akito introduce you to Kureno. He's had to deal with rejection himself.' 

'I'm not a therapist, you know?'

'Maybe not, but you do seem to know a lot. I'm sure you haven't forgotten about Friday evening. You know a lot more than I do.' 

'Yes. I do, don't I?' And I do.