Tomaya Sohma's Story

"A book ... It holds the
key to the universe."

---

Tomaya gripped her legs close to her chest, her eyes closing for a moment. She sat in the center of her bed in the little room that she had been given inside the main household on the Sohma property, for the whole of two reasons.

One - easy access for her to assist Yamato, should he suddenly grow ill.

And two - easy access for Yamato to have her come to him, should he suddenly 'wish for her presence'.

Shivering a bit, and pulled the blanket further around her, tucking it around her body to ward off the morning chill. Her hands lifted to cover her ears at the shouting that echoed from just down the hallway, emerging from the room of the Head himself.

The man had no inkling of respect for anyone, nor did he know how to control his temper or voice. He was simply infuriating, to say the least.

N-Not that she could ever say that to him! She was there for the sole purpose to serve him - not to put her two-sense in on anything pertaining to him.

Looking down at the small music box that sat between her bare feet, she felt tears appear in her eyes. Her hands reached down to gingerly pick it up. Opening the lid with a creak, music slowly began to escape - the music of a ballerina. A miniature figurine of a ballerina, in fact, slowly twirled in a circle, directly in front of the mirror inside of the lid. The music did little to overcome the shouting, but it was enough to distract her from it.

Once the shouting had ended, Tomaya slowly shut the lid of the music box and locked it, the precious necklace, ring, and barrette laying inside. It came to rest on the small table in her room as she slipped a pair of slippers and a robe on and grabbed up her medical bag before exiting her room, her hand clenched directly between her breasts as she looked down the hallway.

Shutting the door to her room behind her, she slowly made her way down the hall, until she stood just outside of Yamato's room.

"Y-Yamato, sir," she called hesitantly, her voice soft and slightly weary. She opened the door just enough to slip inside before shutting it behind her. Holding the bag with both hands before her, she went to her knees and bowed her upper body forward in respect. "I-I've come to inspect you for your morning check-up," she said quietly, but just loudly enough for her voice to carry.

Several moments passed before she rose again, grabbing a chair and moving it to the side of his bed. She placed her medical bag on it and snapped it open, her gaze looking everywhere but at him.

"First, would it be alright if I took your temperature?" she asked, her voice a bit wary of what his response may be.

"A book ... It holds the
key to the universe."

---

Tomaya gripped her legs close to her chest, her eyes closing for a moment. She sat in the center of her bed in the little room that she had been given inside the main household on the Sohma property, for the whole of two reasons.

One - easy access for her to assist Yamato, should he suddenly grow ill.

And two - easy access for Yamato to have her come to him, should he suddenly 'wish for her presence'.

Shivering a bit, and pulled the blanket further around her, tucking it around her body to ward off the morning chill. Her hands lifted to cover her ears at the shouting that echoed from just down the hallway, emerging from the room of the Head himself.

The man had no inkling of respect for anyone, nor did he know how to control his temper or voice. He was simply infuriating, to say the least.

N-Not that she could ever say that to him! She was there for the sole purpose to serve him - not to put her two-sense in on anything pertaining to him.

Looking down at the small music box that sat between her bare feet, she felt tears appear in her eyes. Her hands reached down to gingerly pick it up. Opening the lid with a creak, music slowly began to escape - the music of a ballerina. A miniature figurine of a ballerina, in fact, slowly twirled in a circle, directly in front of the mirror inside of the lid. The music did little to overcome the shouting, but it was enough to distract her from it.

Once the shouting had ended, Tomaya slowly shut the lid of the music box and locked it, the precious necklace, ring, and barrette laying inside. It came to rest on the small table in her room as she slipped a pair of slippers and a robe on and grabbed up her medical bag before exiting her room, her hand clenched directly between her breasts as she looked down the hallway.

Shutting the door to her room behind her, she slowly made her way down the hall, until she stood just outside of Yamato's room.

"Y-Yamato, sir," she called hesitantly, her voice soft and slightly weary. She opened the door just enough to slip inside before shutting it behind her. Holding the bag with both hands before her, she went to her knees and bowed her upper body forward in respect. "I-I've come to inspect you for your morning check-up," she said quietly, but just loudly enough for her voice to carry.

Several moments passed before she rose again, grabbing a chair and moving it to the side of his bed. She placed her medical bag on it and snapped it open, her gaze looking everywhere but at him.

"First, would it be alright if I took your temperature?" she asked, her voice a bit wary of what his response may be.

"Y-Yamato, sir," Tomaya called hesitantly, her voice soft and slightly weary. Yamato turned enough to see her bow and pull up a chair. "I-I've come to inspect you for your morning check-up," she said quietly, but just loudly enough for her voice to carry. "First, would it be alright if I took your temperature?"

Yamato simply sat up in response to her question. Taking the thermometer from her hands, he put it under his tongue and waited for the signature beep before handing it back to her. Miyako and Tomaya were the closest members of the zodiac to Yamato, but Tomaya was his personal toy in a much different way than Miyako. He just tortured Miyako's mental well-being. But he could do as he pleased with Tomaya. She was much easier to manipulate in a way. She actually pitied him enough to sleep with him. He doubted Miyako was that stupid.

"Doing this daily is purely idiotic. If I need a check up, I would say it." A small cough escaped Yamato's lips, but he covered it with a slightly larger cough to appear as if he was simply clearing his throat. He glared at the girl. "Shouldn't you dress more appropriately in my presence. You should stop getting used to dressing like a whore and be more conservative. I'm sure the others in the family enjoy you looking like that though ... Those good for nothing ..." Yamato threw his pillow across the room as he cursed, "Those good for nothing pieces of shit!"

His anger threw him into a bit of a coughing fit. Yamato sat hunched over until the coughing stopped. "I wish everyone would die..."

Everyone but Tamaki and me.

---

Tomaya grimaced slightly. She wouldn't deny this his words stung, but she really wasn't dressed very scantily - at all. She wore slippers, a bag t-shirt, flannel pajama bottoms, and a robe to top it off. Granted,s he didn't look very professional, but she looked nothing like a whore.

Not that she could argue his insult; He was God after all.

Shaking her head, sh bowed it for a moment. "I apologize for my lack of dress. I was simply in a hurry to catch you before you fell asleep, sir," she explained, raising her head slightly.

She accepted the thermometer and glanced over it. As she studied it, she studied him also, over the top of it.

She didn't pity him. Maybe she had at one point in her life, but that had disappeared when she was very little. While the rest of the Zodiac members had stayed far away from him, she had, as always, been curious. Curious of the young boy in the room, left all alone and sick, who was supposedly their 'Master'.

It had started out with her leaving him the candy that she would buy with her meager allowance. After that, it slowly began a stairwell climb. First it reached her introducing herself. Then she began to joke with him. Following that, she read him stories and poetry, some of which were her own work.

Two years flew by before she even met him face-to-face, instead of speaking through a tiny window. When she saw how ill and frail he was, it broke her heart.

Here was the person who was supposed to be the most cruel member of the Sohma family, and yet he couldn't even leave his own bedroom.

It was Yamato who first inspired her to go into doctoring. She graduated from high school a full two years before everyone else her age, went into medical school and had earned her degree, making her one of the youngest people - and women - to ever become a licensed doctor.

She supposed Yamato hated for that. She had visited him less and less as school grew more serious for her, but she still came at least every other day. Besides, he had his brother, so she had felt that there was nothing to worry about.

Her family died when she was seventeen, far before they could see her success, leaving her the sole survivor of her family and the accident they were in. She was in coma for three and a half months. When she had awakened, it was to find that many things had changed - especially Yamato.

He had become cruel, harsh, and cold - the true stereotype of the Sohma Zodiac God. When she returned from the hospital a month after awakening, he was furious with her for leaving, despite the fact that she had no control over it.

Tomaya was certain that he still hadn't forgiven her for it.

Lowering the thermometer, she cleaned and returned it to her bag, exchanging it for a stethoscope.

"You're running a slight fever of 100.4 degrees. If it gets any higher, I'm going to have to give you medication, so please, just stay in bed and-"

The sudden shout from Yamato caused her to flinch, startling her immensely. After a moment, she relaxed a bit, moving her hand out to lightly place it on his back as he shook with his coughing fit.

"Yamato ... I know that life has been difficult, and that we haven't been on the best of terms the past few years, but ... I still care about you, whether you believe it or not," she said softly. Reaching behind her and into her bag, she withdrew a bottle of water and held it out to him. "Here, drink some," she ordered, placing it in his lap.

Gripping her stethoscope, she raised the back of his shirt and breathed on the cold metal to warm it, before placing it against his skin.

"You don't hate them and you don't want them to die. You hate how they view you - what they think of you," she said, moving the stethoscope across his back. "Inhale deeply and then exhale. Cough for me, too."

"If it's any consolation, your brother and I don't think badly of you, nor do we look at you in a terrible way. We both love and care for you."

"I understand that you're upset with the world - each and everyone one of us are, because in a way, we've all been cheated. You more than the others, perhaps, but still ..."

Lowering the stethoscope and fixing his shirt, she returned to her bag and removed her audioscope before leaning back over to him.

"Hold still, please. I don't want to accidentally stab your ear drum," she joked, clicking the light on the scope. Pushing his hair back, she peered inside his ear for several moments.

Pulling away, Tomaya removed a folder form her bag, flipped it open to a page, and clicked open a pen. As she began to write some data down, she spoke again.

"Your ear looks fine, so you aren't getting an infection. I do believe that, with your cough and the fluid I could hear in your lungs, you have a mild case of pneumonia. However, with how poor your immune system is, it could escalate quickly and terribly. I'm going to put you on antibiotics, cough medication, and an inhaler," she explained. Setting the folder to the side, she removed a Popsicle stick from a package in her bag, along with a small flashlight.

"Stick out your tongue and say 'ahhh'."

Shining the light into his throat and placing the stick on his tongue, she nodded once before pulling away and tossing the stick into the trash. With her back turned to him, she plucked the folder back up and began to scribble some notes.

"Your throat is just a bit irritated from the coughing, so I'm also going to give you some cough medicine to soothe the ache in it. Is that alright with you, Yamato?" she asked, her back still turned.

---

It didn't take long for Miyako's things to dry, she had only missed about half of her second class. "Thanks again Mei! I'll repay you anyway I can." The girl looked at Miyako with a somewhat sad smile.

"Then cheer up, okay? I'll text you after classes are done." Miyako stood in temporary shock, but sent a wave regardless.

Maybe I did over react ... I just get so tense and nervous and upset around Turi. I couldn't help myself. Miyako pulled open her phone, flipping through the contacts. Luckily, she had Kaze's number.

What you did was wrong Kaze,
But it was rude of me to say those things to you.
I don't hate you, you're my family.

Miyako stuck her phone in her bag, making her way to her next class.

"Miss Sohma, this book was dropped off for you in the front office." Miyako politely took the book from her teacher, it was her Advanced Physics book. She took of the sticky note and sat down. It wasn't until she opened the book for notes that she discovered the note Kaze had left.

Hiya. My apologies about before... went to far with my joke. Didn't mean anything by it. You don't gotta forgive me, just as long as you know I'm sorry.

Miyako smiled once more to herself before joining in on the class.

---

---

Yamato continued to do what Tomaya asked of him. It was pretty obvious at that point that he was sick, so he would let her give him whatever she had so he could get better then leave the god forsaken estate. "Your ear looks fine, so you aren't getting an infection. I do believe that, with your cough and the fluid I could hear in your lungs, you have a mild case of pneumonia. However, with how poor your immune system is, it could escalate quickly and terribly. I'm going to put you on antibiotics, cough medication, and an inhaler," she explained. Setting the folder to the side, she removed a Popsicle stick from a package in her bag, along with a small flashlight.

"Stick out your tongue and say 'ahhh'."

Shining the light into his throat and placing the stick on his tongue, she nodded once before pulling away and tossing the stick into the trash. With her back turned to him, she plucked the folder back up and began to scribble some notes.

"Your throat is just a bit irritated from the coughing, so I'm also going to give you some cough medicine to soothe the ache in it. Is that alright with you, Yamato?" she asked, her back still turned.

"That's fine ..." Yamato rubbed his throat, swinging his legs over the side of the bed to retrieve his pillow. "Is it possible to take someone else's immune system and give it to me." It wasn't a question really, just a hopeless statement. He wanted to be able to go about freely without having to be watched twenty-four seven. It felt like a prison in the Estate, though it was his Estate that he controlled. That's how the fairy tale went anyways. He sat back on his bed after grabbing his pillow off the ground. Yamato only leaned back slightly before letting himself fall back into the bed, rolling around until he was completely covered by the sheets.

"Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired ... Robert Frost."

---

"That's fine ..."

Tomaya turned slightly as she heard movement behind her, and was about to argue with him walking around, but let it go when she noticed that he was simply retrieving his pillow.

Her heart tugged at the look of him. He appeared deflated - as if everything in the world had just sucked all of the hope and energy from his body, which more times than not refused to work properly. She felt the ache of tears behind her eyes, but quickly blinked them back, knowing full-well that if she cried over him, he would only become angry at the pity.

Shutting the folder and quickly returning it to her bag, she removed a bottle of large, pink antibiotics, a smaller bottle with tiny, yellow coughing pills, and an inhaler - all three she kept on her due to those three being the most common necessities for his illnesses. She retrieved the bottle of water that he had somehow bumped onto the floor before approaching his bed.

Is it possible to take someone else's immune system and give it to me."

"I'm afraid not, Yamato. I'm very sorry. I know how difficult this is," she said gently, lightly perching on the edge of his bed. Her hand moved out, stopped in mid-air, before she sucked in a breath for courage. She pulled the blankets down just enough to reveal his head from the nose and up. Her hand moved to brush the thick black locks of his bangs back and out of his face. "There isn't much for me to say that can convey how I feel right now without upsetting you, so I'm going to refrain from speaking of it. Why don't you take your medication and I can make you some hot chocolate and soup?"

When there was no response, she let her hand come to a gentle resting spot on his head.

"'In three words I can sum up just about everything that I've learned about life: it goes on.' Robert Frost," she said quietly. A small smile shook the corners of her lips as she looked down at him, her hand lightly petting his black hair. "Remember how I would read his poems to you?" she asked. She tilted her head up and looked out the rain-splattered window, into the dark, pouring outdoors.

"'Two road diverged in the wood, and I took the one less traveled by ... And that made all the difference.' Robert Frost again," she laughed a bit this time. "Can you see the pattern? I love poetry, but Robert Frost and Edgar Allen Poe are my two favorite poets," she said, her head tilting a bit. "Did you know that it is not only the cursed that lead tragic lives, but also the ones who are destined to do so? Edgar Allen Poe was mentally unstable for a good portion of his life, and lost more family members than I can count," she tacked on, as if attempting to give an example. "I can only imagine the darkness that was within Mr. Frost, too. But do you know what one of his most famous quotes is?"

"'Accept no one's definition of your life: Define yourself'."

"Your life is whatever you choose to make it, Yamato. Whether you choose to be dour and feel badly for yourself and your life is your own choice - not the choice of the people who surround you. Because I know that, at least for your brother and I ... It breaks our hearts to see you in so much pain - and I don't mean physically," she murmured, her hand once again still on his head.

---

"Sir?" Miyako approached her instructor. "For this equation, I got something different than you. Did I use the wrong equation?" The instructor looked at Miyako's equation, quickly pointing to the gravitational constant.

"Your constant is off. The six goes in front of all this and the nine in back. See, when we work that out ... you get the right answer." Miyako internally punished herself but smiled and thanked her instructor.

Outside the room, she was greeted by a few people she knew. "Miyako" one of the girls exclaimed. "Do you want to come to karaoke with us for lunch?" It was a kind offer, but Miyako never went out in fear she would bump into someone.

"I have a lot to do at home, not to mention study."

"Come on Miyako! You have to come out with us sooner or later."

"I'll opt out for later?" Miyako let out a small laugh. "I'll text you and we can arrange something, alright?" With a wave, Miyako left for the library. She had to wait for the rain to stop so she could go home and eat. She wasn't that hungry, but a home-made sandwich was always nice. And since she was done with classes for the day, she could spend the rest of the day at home, doing homework, cleaning, playing with Shadow. "That's right! I need to go to the store and him more catnip. I could go to the student store and buy an umbrella and just go now ..." She silently thanked God that the student store was connected to the library.

"One umbrella?"

"Sure thing Miyako," a friend of hers said.

"Thanks Touma," Miyako said with a smile, handing him change.

"It's lunch time already? Wanna go out to eat? My treat," Touma said in a slightly singsong voice.

Miyako shook her head, but bowed slightly in thanks. "I have to do some shopping then get home." With a wave goodbye, Miyako carried on to the front gate of the school. I should make a list, She thought, stopping to rummage around in her bag for her phone. The front light blinked telling her she had received a message. A quick look identified it to be from Kaze.

It was wrong, you had the right to say what you did.
Good to know that I didn't have to add another person to the list of people who hate me!
Were you able to get the textbook? Left it at the office.
Sorry about snatching it earlier, I'll make it up to you later.

Miyako nodded at her phone, closing out of the message to create a list. "I can make lasagna and have left overs for a week." It sounded good enough to her. "So I need noodles, ground beef," Miyako cringed at the word. It was the same for her whenever she saw a dead mouse. She always felt like she was eating her cousin whenever she purchased the meat. "I'll have to ask for forgiveness later. What else do I need. Cheese, tomato sauce and parsley? Sounds good to me." Miyako closed her phone and continued on to the store.

---

---

"Your life is whatever you choose to make it, Yamato. Whether you choose to be dour and feel badly for yourself and your life is your own choice - not the choice of the people who surround you. Because I know that, at least for your brother and I ... It breaks our hearts to see you in so much pain - and I don't mean physically," she murmured, her hand once again still on his head.

Yamato felt as though he were a dog by how much petting he was receiving. On top of that, Tomaya was telling him about Frost and Poe like she personally knew the men. He actually had loved it when she used to read through the door to him. He would always say, "Go away, I don't want to listen," but he would sit by the door quietly so he could hear her words. Yamato reached up and grabbed her hand, holding it against his head. It felt like he was in an odd haze that lacked necessary oxygen.

Yamato grabbed Tomaya's hand tightly, pulling her onto the bed next to him. "Read to me," he ordered, still holding her hand. "You're useless and all you can do is read, so read to me."

Since Yamato had been up all night, the moment she began to speak, Yamato's hand let go of hers as he fell into a dreamless slumber.

---

Tomaya was so distracted by watching the rain, that she didn't realize what was happening until after the event. One moment she was sitting on the edge of his bed, her hand on his head, and the next she was being pulled down beside him, immediately swallowed by his blankets.

"Read to me ...You're useless and all you can do is read, so read to me."

The warmth of her hand in his cold ones was a jolting difference in temperature. Grabbing his other hand, she pressed them both together between her own set, drawing them up near her face and pressing the tips of his fingers to her cheek in an attempt to warm them. His words stung, but she knew that he didn't mean them. He was trying to be mean - trying to hurt her. It was the only thing that he knew, and by hurting her, it somehow made him feel that he was not attached to her and that it would protect him from the hurt that he expected from her in the future. The hurt of her finally leaving him, too.

Not that she ever could. Firstly, she was devoted to him through the Curse. The Zodiac members could not survive without their God.

And secondly ... She couldn't live without him. His former self may have been overtaken by a cold, cruel man with no kind intentions, but there was still a small ray of hope inside of her that the Yamato she knew would someday return.

He just needed a little coaxing to come out again.

Biting her lower lip, Tomaya thought for a moment. She didn't have any books with her, nor could she have grabbed one if she did due to her position on the bed, lest she disturb Yamato, so instead she brought forth a story that she had long-ago memorized.

Thank you photographic memory.

Drawing in a breath, she began to speak, closing her eyes as she did so.

'Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary. Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore ...'

And all the while that she spoke, she knew that Yamato was asleep.



'And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor ... Shall be lifted - nevermore ...'

As she finished, Tomaya opened her eyes and turned her gaze upwards. Yamato was still asleep, and when so, his face took on the relaxed look that she had grown accustomed to for the first few years of her knowing him.

In truth, he looked like a little boy again.

Her heart wrenching and her attempting to blink back tears, she turned her face into the pillow that her head rested on.

Why? Why does he hate me so much? How can he hate me so much? He keeps me around simply to have something to play with and hurt, and has done nothing kind to me since I awoke from that damned coma. Honestly, it's been six years! How can he still be angry with me? It isn't fair ....

Shaking her head, she tightened her hand slightly around his, which had finally grown warm.

No, you can't allow him to get to you. Take a deep breath and push it from your mind. Become the docile girl you are and sit back and let fate take its' flow.

Turning her face back towards his, she bit her lower lip and sighed slightly.

---

---

---

Callista waved a cheery goodbye to the two as they left, snickering evilly to herself. Once they were out of sight, she rubbed her hands together as evilly as she could with her injury.

"Alas, my plan has gone into motion ... Plan Save-The-Sohmas is a Go!" she cheered to herself, doing a small spin.

Freezing at the end of the spin, she turned a bright crimson.

"Did I really just do that?" she asked to no one, eyes wide. Straightening and smacking her forehead, she slowly shook her head. "I think I need to have my brain examined ..."

"Did they leave? ... Another disaster averted, I think."

Raising her now-cooled face, Callista focused her eyes on the person who had spoken. Kaze had appeared through the curtain separating the back room from the main one, his expression weary and hesitant.

Allowing a relaxed smile to return to her lips, and straightened to her normal posture and crossed her arms.

"Yeah, Tweedeldum and Tom - that's the nickname I decided to give Turi - left already to get her back to her work on time. Besides, I couldn't see it becoming a disaster in any way - I was here to play neutral territory," she joked, watching him as he crossed to the room to one of the plush, comfortable chairs adorning her shop.

"Is there anything else you need help with? Cooking, shopping, baking, delivery? Hell, at this point I'm willing to sweep floors. Just give me something to do so I don't have to rot away with boredom."

Tapping her chin in thought, she began flipping switches and pressing buttons on the machines that prepared several of the drinks - the coffee, tea, and hot chocolate - while plugging in the blenders for the smoothies and milkshakes. Once that was done, she followed him to the table and dropped down into the chair beside him, brushing her hair back from her face.

Finally, she answered his question.

"Other than to do minor cleaning activities, you know as well as I do that the only thing to do in this place is eat, sleep, study, or have sex," she said, obviously joking on the activity listed. Suddenly straightening, she quirked an eyebrow, giving him a laughing grin that betrayed the fact that she was joking. "Hey, let's have sex!" she exclaimed, immediately erupting into giggles afterwards. Once her giggle-fit had subsided, she straightened and sighed.

"Why don't I give you a can of glass-cleaner and some paper towels and you can wash my windows and display cases. Deal?" she asked, already rising and fetching the items in question from behind the counter. She returned quickly and held them out to him, tilting her head and leaning forward, her face near his. "Or would you really rather become a pervert like Gengaku and have sex?" she asked, teasing him once again, yet not obviously-so this time.

Yamato stirred in his sleep, then waking up startled. He had forgotten that he was next to Tomaya. He took a deep breath, seeing she was still asleep. Looking through his window and the position she was in, he hadn't slept for very long. "I want to see my Juunishi. I don't want to be awake and doing nothing." He saw and heard the rain from outside. Yamato didn't want to call a meeting, it would take forever for it to get planned. Besides, popping in and torturing them was more fun.

"School should be getting out sooner or later, so we can stick to who we know is home." And by the looks of it, Miyako was rather lively. Her house was right next to the main house, Yamato could see in through the window in her kitchen rather easy.

"It's settled. We're are going to see Miyako."

Yamato moved to the end of the bed, not bothering to listen to any protests from the girl beside him. He knew he was sick, he just didn't care.

Yamato strapped his shoes on and wrapped his brothers handmade scarf around his neck loosely. He was wearing his normal black hoodie and jeans, had been feeling rather lazy last night. Besides, wearing those gave him more room to play freely with Tamaki. It was a win-win situation really. A few coughs escaped, but he didn't let it stop his look of determination. "You can come if you want, I really don't care, but I'm leaving," he said, walking towards the door.

---

Akihiko narrowed her eyes at the older woman, her lips curling up a bit at the ends. While she admired the woman, she didn't appreciate being berated by her for merely looking out for her closest and best friend - and honestly, one of her only friends, too.

"I get that you might be older than me, and that you're a teacher and all, but I'm not your student and I'm not a little kid. I might act like one sometimes, but I don't appreciate being lectured over me defending my friend. That stupid cat has been nothing but trouble since the very beginning and everyone knows that. She has no right to treat Renny like that and I'll be damned if I'll just sit back and let her," she snapped, sneering at the woman through the rear-view mirror.

"Enough worrying about me! You're the one who always gets sick, look at you all soaking wet! Now if you come down with a cold, I'll be the one making the soup, and we both know what a horrible cook I am!"

Aki had only just turned her face towards Ren's when her head was overcome by a jacket. It enveloped her hair and moved around it before dropping over her shoulders, and she had barely enough time to pat down her frizzy excuse of hair before a hat was pulled down, blinding her as it went over her eyes.

It's really not her fault. It's mine for provoking Turi. Akihiko was just being a good friend. Maybe too good a friend ... Oh! I almost forgot! Thanks for the ride, and sorry for getting your backseat all wet...if you'd like I can clean your car for you after school's finished."

Lifting her hand from where it was caught between Ren's, she pulled up the hat that Ren had pulled over her head, peaking out from beneath it. "You didn't provoke her, she's just a bitch," she said simply, raising a brow.

It was then that they finally pulled up to the school and the car stopped. Ushering Ren out of the car, she clambered out after him.

"Thanks for the ride," she said, her voice a bit cold as she shut the door. Pulling the hat completely up from her eyes, she waved at Suzu as they took shelter under the canopy hanging over the walkway to the school. "Let's walk to class together, Ren!" she said cheerily, linking her arm through his.

---

---

"Ahahaha... As tempting as that sounds, I think I'll just clean... Besides, Gengaku would probably kill me if I so much as touched you."

Watching him walk to the window, she straightened and crossed her arms over her chest, a slight pout appearing on her lips.

"Well, don't I feel unwanted and rejected," she scoffed out, moving behind the counter and opening the register. Parting her lips to ask Kaze a question, she was stopped by an abrupt onslaught of customers.


Collapsing into a chair, Callista pulled a napkin from the center piece of the table and tossed it over her eyes.

"Jeez, who knew running a store on your own could be so difficult ..." she groaned, slumping down in the chair so that she was nearly laying across it. She peaked out from under the napkin and focused an eye on Kaze. "Hey. Do you want a job? I could use the help and I can afford to hire an extra hand around here. Gengaku can't be here all the time," she said.

Frowning a bit, Calli felt tears threaten behind her lids. It really wasn't fair. She was left alone in the world, with very few people to call friends, and no one to call family. So she couldn't really call on someone to help her out on a daily basis, but instead was forced to look for someone to hire.

Not that she would mind having Kaze around, even if he was being paid to be so. Granted he had classes, but so did she, and a lot of his classes went during her off-time, and her classes went during his. So it would actually work perfectly to have him work at the store, since they could trade off and on in between classes.

Sitting up suddenly, she raised both of her brows. "Oh! That reminds me. What was that that you mumbled about Gengaku earlier? I heard you say that he would kill you, but I missed the second part. Care to share?" she asked.

When this gained no response, she jumped up from the chair and crossed over to him, smirking down at him. "Either you tell me or I'll make you tell me," she warned.

---

---

"... Getting out sooner or later, so we can stick to who we know is home."

Tomaya blinked her eyes open and sat up abruptly. Her eyes darted around the room in an effort to get her bearings, and when she realized where she was, she relaxed a bit. She hadn't even realized that she had fallen asleep, to be honest.

"It's settled. We're are going to see Miyako."

Turning her attention to Yamato, her lips turned down into a frown.

"Yamato, you shouldn't leave bed," she said, attempting to quickly leave the bed. Instead, she found her legs tangled in the sheets, causing her to fall face-first from the bed and collide loudly with the floor of the room. Grimacing, she untangled herself and sat up, rubbing at her face. Instinctively she knew that her nose would be swollen, but she pushed herself up as quickly as possible and crossed the room.

"Yamato, stop," she demanded, moving between him and the door, her arms spread wide to halt any attempt to exit the room. Her expression was stern and her eyes set. "You know as well as I do that with that cough you can't afford to go anywhere. If you do, I can't guarantee that you won't grow more ill."

Reaching out to grab his arm, she looked up at him with an odd desperation in her gaze. "Please, Yamato, don't go outside. It isn't safe for you. And ... And we can't live without you," she said quietly, tears glittering in her eyes.

"Yamato, stop," she demanded, moving between him and the door, her arms spread wide to halt any attempt to exit the room. Her expression was stern and her eyes set. "You know as well as I do that with that cough you can't afford to go anywhere. If you do, I can't guarantee that you won't grow more ill."

Yamato huffed, starting to leave anyways.

Reaching out to grab his arm, she looked up at him with an odd desperation in her gaze. "Please, Yamato, don't go outside. It isn't safe for you. And ... And we can't live without you," she said quietly, tears glittering in her eyes.

Yamato let out yet another huff, staring at Tomaya with a hardened look. "If I die today, a baby born tomorrow to the Sohma's will take my place. I'm as replaceable as a sheet a paper. I'm tired of being here. Why in the hell do you think I sneak out all the time? To be happy! If I want to see my Zodiac, I will see them!" Yamato placed is hands firmly onto Tomaya's shoulders before promptly shoving her out of his way. In the manner he took off, Yamato almost seemed like a child running away from his problems. Now he had no intention of visiting anyone.

Yamato didn't have much to protect him from the rain, so it wasn't long before he was soaked. He wasn't much of a runner, but he was hoping like that day years ago, he would run into Tamaki and they would have a day in the rain.

He didn't stop until he was a good distance from the Estate, wheezing and looking around for somewhere to go. A nearby overhang was in between buildings, a nice little crack to hide in and stay out of the rain. He ran over before crouching under the cloth. Yamato placed his arms up and his hands on the back of his head to help him catch his breath. "Why ... Why can't I just live a normal life. A normal life with Tamaki," Yamato wished, ending with a violent cough. His chest and head were starting to hurt rather badly at this point. But he didn't regret leaving. He never got to experience what the others got to. This was the only way. Sure it had its fair share of danger, but Yamato was convinced it was much better than being home in the same room he was in every day. Why couldn't he have their freedom?

Yamato cursed them all, hoping they ended up tortured like he was. They deserved it more than him. He was the God! Not the lowly servant. He buried his head in his arms, tearing up. He couldn't help it ... he was so angry. Nothing in the world made sense. "To hell with all of them ..."

---

---

---

"If I die today, a baby born tomorrow to the Sohma's will take my place. I'm as replaceable as a sheet a paper. I'm tired of being here. Why in the hell do you think I sneak out all the time? To be happy! If I want to see my Zodiac, I will see them!"

Tomaya didn't even have time to react. One moment she was standing in the doorway, and the next she was being shoved aside. The force of the transfer caused her to stumble and lose her footing, her hand flashing out to grab the doorknob and avoid falling. By the time she could focus on something other than staying upright, Yamato was gone.

"... Yamato ..."



It had only been about ten minutes since Yamato had left, but the rain had yet to let up in even the slightest over and near the Sohma estate. The servants were frantic, rushing around the house and all over the estate in an effort to find their master. They all knew that he had been feeling ill, and they also knew that if he were to stay out in the cold, wet air for too long, it could mean something far more drastic than just him being ill.

Finally, after sitting near the door for a total of fifteen minutes, Tomaya rose. She had already changed into warmer clothes - a pair of jeans, boots, a dark sweater with a jacket over the top, and a scarf around her neck. Grabbing an umbrella and a blanket, she adjusted her jacket buttons, knocked the heels of her boots on the floor, and slid open the front door.

The door closed with a clack behind her, oddly loud when the mixture of the sound of rain was so quiet. She stood on the porch for several long moments, shifting her weight from side-to-side as she mulled over the places that he could have run to.

To be honest, he probably hadn't had any idea of where he was running to. With a mind like his, he was undoubtedly only fleeing in desperation to escape something. That something being his life, of course, and the curse.

Glancing from side to side, she dropped off of the porch and studied the wet grass, where footprints were slowly disappearing in the mud that was below them. He may have been running away, but he hadn't done it very well. She wouldn't force him to return to the estate, but there wasn't anywhere he knew of that would shelter him - the man had rarely been off of Sohma land - so he was undoubtedly huddled somewhere, freezing his ass of and growing sicker by the minute. Which left her with very little time to find and retrieve him.

Inhaling and exhaling deeply, she set out at a quick walk, the rain making loud plopping sounds on the umbrella. Her eyes remained on the ground, tracking the footprints. Every few minutes or so she would lose them, either from them being washed away or him having crossed a stone path. She would then have to backtrack or go searching for them once more, which took up even more time than she wished it to have.

The footprints ended near the beginnings of town, and shifting uncomfortably, she hummed to herself. Now where could he have gone?

Glancing around, Tomaya found him far more quickly than she had originally expected to.

He looked so lost and forlorn, crouching beneath a canopy, huddled in on himself. It was as if he wanted to disappear ... Into himself. He looked as if he had truly lost all hope.

Her boots made soft squishing sounds in the water as she crossed the road towards him. Stopping directly by his side, she leaned over, draping the blanket around his shoulders and holding the umbrella over his head. Her free hand moved out in his direction.

"'No one can heal what you can't confront ... Do not give up, because the beginning is always the hardest'."

Her hand dropped onto his wet head, smoothing down to pull the blanket up and over it. It slipped beneath the blanket, settling once more in his hair. She crouched down beside him, staring out at the street before them.

"I'm not going to say that everything will be alright, because I can't predict the future. And the future is unpredictable anyway. And I'm not going to say that everything will get better, because I can't guarantee that it will," she said, her quiet voice oddly loud in the silent, rainy air.

Dropping down onto her bottom, she folded the umbrella and placed it beside her, crossing her arms over her knees.

"But I can guarantee that I'll be here for you, whenever you need me. And so will your brother," she told him, her eyes locked on a nearby bicycle. A kitten was hunched underneath it, shivering, its' eyes wide and frightened. After watching it for a moment, she pushed herself up, crossed through the rain, and knelt before the cat. Her hand moved out and she made soft cooing sounds to coax the animal out from its' hiding place. After a few minutes, it slowly moved out and rubbed its' head under her hand, purring softly. She gathered him into her arms and returned to Yamato's side, seating herself on the ground beside him once more, the kitten curling into the warmth of her arms, lap, and abdomen.

"I won't be here for you out of some sort sense of duty given to me because of the curse, and I won't be here for you because I'm the family doctor and I have to care for you. Just as your brother won't be there for you because he feels some sort of familial obligation to be so. If that were really true, I wouldn't be here right now, and your brother wouldn't talk about you like you were some almighty deity unbeknownst to the rest of us," she laughed softly, scratching the now-sleeping kitten behind its' ear.

Finally lifting her gaze to his face, she looked at it, as if searching for something.

"Tamaki will be here for you because he adores you. Not just as his older brother, or as the ruler of the Sohma family, but because of who you are." She paused, gathering her words and attempting to order them in the correct way. "And I will be here for you because I care about you. Not just as my patient, or as my God, but as a man. Yamato, your brother and I both love you - very dearly, might I add. And no matter how fast you run, you can't escape that. No matter how far you go, you can't outrun your problems. You may still hate me because I left you for a few months due to my being in coma, but I can't help that. I'm sorry, Yamato, but it wasn't something I could prevent. If I could go back and change that, I would - you know that. I never wanted my family to die. It almost destroyed me."

Turning her face back to the kitten, she distracted herself by scratching his chin.

"The only reason it didn't ... Was because of you. And I'll be damned if you try to pass that off on the curse, because that isn't why. You were my best friend growing up, and I've loved you since the very beginning. You may hate me with all of your heart, but nothing will change how I feel.

---

It's raining still...

Days like this were Miyako's enemy. She was already sniffling and had a slight cough, but she knew it was nothing major. Probably just a minor cold, nothing a little soup and medicine couldn't fix. The scent of lasagna wafted through the air, but it would still be a little while until it was done. Miyako had been craving something sweet lately, and many members of her family had spoken of the bakery that wasn't that far. So, prepared this time, Miyako left her warm house to see what would be consumed for dessert.

The rain dripping against her umbrella was nostalgic in a way, it calmed the Rat on her venture. Miyako wasn't stressed, mind you, but the rain calmed her much more than she was. The Rat rubbed her tired eye, letting out a yawn to match. Maybe if she went to the market and bought some sleeping medication she would be able to get a full night of rest for the full day that lay ahead tomorrow. It was her birthday tomorrow after all. Miyako smiled to herself as she ran down the things to do. Some of the girls in her university wanted to take her out to lunch as a present. Maybe she would go out for once, Miyako would just have to be really on her toes about being near any men.

Within only a few minutes, Miyako happened upon the bakery, standing under the awning to shake off her umbrella. Once she had entered the bakery, however, she had noticed that several of her cousins were gathered there. It was really cool actually, the lot had been running into each other so much more often these days. Miyako kept her eyes down as usual, but the slick spot on the floor hadn't registered in her mind until it was to late. Miyako slipped, falling forwards and, you guess it, fell into a magenta-haired man who had been standing in front of her. She saw Gengaku pull a pink-haired woman to the back, so the only two who had noticed her transformation were Kaze and Turi. In a poof of smoke, Miyako was laying in her rat form atop her pile of clothes. She simply squeaked before skittering off to hide in the back. Miyako really hoped that no one would try to squish her. Being something that had been hated by humans for millions of years was tough. Especially when you randomly transformed and had to hide before anyone saw you.

---

---

Yamato listened to the words coming from Tomaya's heart. But they wouldn't reach his. Something in his mind was convincing him that it was all lies, that if they all had the chance, they would run far from him and this curse. "I won't be here for you out of some sort sense of duty given to me because of the curse, and I won't be here for you because I'm the family doctor and I have to care for you. Just as your brother won't be there for you because he feels some sort of familial obligation to be so. If that were really true, I wouldn't be here right now, and your brother wouldn't talk about you like you were some almighty deity unbeknownst to the rest of us," she laughed softly, causing a small smile to appear on Yamato's face for a split second.

"Tamaki will be here for you because he adores you. Not just as his older brother, or as the ruler of the Sohma family, but because of who you are." She paused, gathering her words and attempting to order them in the correct way. "And I will be here for you because I care about you. Not just as my patient, or as my God, but as a man. Yamato, your brother and I both love you - very dearly, might I add. And no matter how fast you run, you can't escape that. No matter how far you go, you can't outrun your problems. You may still hate me because I left you for a few months due to my being in coma, but I can't help that. I'm sorry, Yamato, but it wasn't something I could prevent. If I could go back and change that, I would - you know that. I never wanted my family to die. It almost destroyed me."

"The only reason it didn't ... Was because of you. And I'll be damned if you try to pass that off on the curse, because that isn't why. You were my best friend growing up, and I've loved you since the very beginning. You may hate me with all of your heart, but nothing will change how I feel."

Yamato buried his face deeper into his knees as he felt tears escape. Yamato wasn't supposed to cry, he was the God, the strongest of all the Sohma family. So why were Tomaya's words ripping his wall out bit by bit. With every brick that fell, Yamato felt a ping of pain and a tear fell. His hands balled into fists and he clenched his teeth as tight as he could. In a way, he felt defeated, embarrassed and pissed off at the world. All he was ever told was that the Curse was the only reason anyone stayed with him. His bitter attitude and selfish ways were to much for even his own mother to handle.

Both Tamaki and Tomaya had been there for him, but he only recognized Tamaki. Was it because Yamato was in such an emotional state when Tamaki had found him? Yamato was full blown ready to die right there in the snow. Maybe then the stupid Zodiac would recognize him. But like he had said earlier, he was replaceable. He was so disposable, yet, the words Tomaya spoke reached him so deeply that he was crying. Yamato squeezed his fists tighter as he let out a long scream of frustration. He wanted to flail like an infant, these emotions he was feeling were tearing him apart. Would it have been this way if he had grown up as a normal boy with normal health to go with it.

No more medicine or cold packs, no more bedridden weeks or months. He could play with his younger brother, free of restraints or rules or risk of isolation. It seemed like a while before he let his scream end, his voice was weak by that point and it had only lead up to a coughing fit. His lungs were killing him from the running, crying and screaming. And now his streaming tears were jerking sobs that made him shake with every breath he took. Why was he, a grown man, crying? If he knew, he would say so. But he couldn't figure out what he was feeling. If it was causing so much pain, it couldn't have been good.

---

---

Tomaya made no sound as she watched Yamato slowly crumple before her. Due to her easy ability to read people, she could practically see the thoughts crossing his mind - the thoughts of how he wished to have been born normal. The thoughts of confusion that he felt. And the garbled nonsense that was him attempting to figure out how he wished to act in response to how he was feeling.

The scream startled her a bit, but she quickly relaxed. It was the scream of someone who had tried so hard for so long, and yet was so tired of working. Working to be strong, and working to be something they were not.

Fixing a gentle gaze on the man who sat beside her, his face buried in his knees, she hesitated a bit. Should she touch him? Would he welcome her touch, or become like that of a startled deer and flee? Even to her, some of Yamato's actions were often unpredictable, and every day was a guessing game with him. At least, with how he acted. She knew precisely what she thought of the young man.

She did, however, have to think of her next move strategically. A single wrong action could send him running, or even worse, rebuild that barrier he had carefully constructed of bricks. He would then retreat behind it, where he could let his anger boil in peace.

A bit of an oxymoron, if one were to ask her.

After several moments of silence and thought, she slowly lifted her hand and dropped on his wet head, underneath the blanket. She removed it after a second and slid her arm around his shoulders as the cough shook his body, causing her heart to tug in pain.

"I ... Can't promise that everything will be okay, Yamato," she began softly, turning her head and resting her forehead against his temple through the blanket. "But what I can tell you is ... Well ..." Drawing in a deep breath, she closed her eyes. "'Crying doesn't indicate that you are weak ... Since birth, it has always been a sign that you are alive'," she said quietly, opening her eyes and lifting her hand to brush some wet bangs out of his eyes.

Finally, Tomaya released him and pushed herself to her feet, swung up the umbrella, and bent at the waist to hold a hand out to him. A gentle smile curved her lips up reassuringly and she beamed down at him. "Let's go on an adventure today, Yamato. Get away from the overbearing and heavy watch of the guard dogs back at the estate," she said, plucking up the bag that she had forgotten about in her rush to calm him. It held all of her doctoring supplies, including extra prescriptions commonly needed by the people that were considered her patients, family or not.

"I know an amazing noodle shop that is just to die for. I can guarantee you've never been to it, so let me take you - my treat," she beamed. "So long as you promise to take some medicine for you cough," she said with a smirk and a wink cast in his direction. "Come on - let me show you a world that you have yet to see. It can be beautiful if you look hard enough."