DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything. Tayaka Natsuki is a brilliant artist and author, I admire her very much for her 'creation'. I also do not own the song embedded in the story.
Welcome to my second story, an ArisaXKureno pairing. I haven't seen too many of these posted. This pair deserves it! I think Kureno is a wonderful 'round' character for my concoction and Arisa has a vulnerable, compassionate side, outside of teasing Kyo. Kureno, the sheltered Sohma meets the bold, brazen Arisa. She is such a sweet girl! Enjoy!
Comment! I love 'em.
SATORI
(The title has great significance… I came upon it a while ago and decided to use it as my title. Satori is the Buddhist term of " deep enlightenment"—to understand. It is perfect for this occasion because it is found throughout our daily lives, where we, as a people, must unveil Satori.
PLUS: it rhymes with my favorite character if Fruits Basket, Hatori Sohma.
PROLOGUE
I met him at the supermarket. What can I say? He was wonderful.
I met her at the supermarket. What can I say? She was wonderful.
Months ago, Kureno had paid his first visit to the grocery store for some late-night goodies. He never thought he would meet the girl of his dreams: Uotani Arisa.
Dressed in a short-cut skirt (grocery manager's orders, to appear pleasant and helpful) with a pixie style hair cut, she had charmed him with her beauty and personality. She was as clear to him as white and black. She was beautiful. The most beautiful creature he had even seen.
Outside the main house, I had seen few women. She not only met him with grace, showing him the wonderful invention: the basket, but also shone a light into his dim heart.
She never once took his "clumsiness" "lack of knowledge" to be any "mental disability" as the children at his grade school had long ago. She treated him like a human being, not the subservient fool that he was.
After that fateful encounter, he had thought about her every day and night. Her beautiful image drifted into his dreams, fleeting just as quick. The next day he returned to the supermarket, but she was nowhere to be found. His desires were dashed. Had he lost a chance at true love? Someone who understood him as human, not as a subservient Juunishi as his master Akito took him as: a foolish cock.
Was he?
Kureno had been by Akito's side for as long as he knew. He was six years older than her, but a slave to her. Physically and emotionally. He was her sex slave, a victim of her abuses and constant enmity, her caretaker, as well as her best friend. Whatever she wanted him to do, he did. It was in his nature to accept his fate. He had never once gone against her wished like some of his cousins had, namely Hatori and Shigure.
Until Arisa. He was prepared to do anything for her.
Their next encounter was a week later. He meandered the busy streets, passed the supermarket when she 'tackled' him from behind. Kureno was utterly surprised. It was her.
That day, they went out for lunch: tasty yam noodles as she had advised. He watched her animated movements, so cheerful and pleasant, away from the distractions at home. So dazed, he said the hurtful words, that he had only met her while 'wasting time'. Angered by this comment, she stormed out of the restaurant. Kureno ran after her, not waiting to lose her again.
He explained to her that, that he loved her, calling out her name. His gentle fingers caressed her soft, luminous cheeks, the only remainder of the encounter. He was gone thereafter after satisfying his knowledge that he was in love.
And so was she.
It was months before.
The summer had gone by slowly, everyday burning with a loss, the loss of each other. Arisa had spilled the beans to her best friends Tohru and Hanajima, but they could do little to comfort her. She sulked everyday, ever her teasing seemed to ebb. Kyo even wondered where the Arisa he had known went. She had fallen in love with Kureno, but feared that she would never see him again. Their last encounter had been so… perfect, for her. But did he reciprocate the same feelings toward her? He had touched her cheek, but was that just a kind gesture? Something he did to all women?
It left Arisa heart-broken and torn. Her work became painful. She looked at the door everytime it rang, only to see another customer, not her mysterious lover.
Her relationship with her father was growing more strained. He continued to drink and smoke, forcing her to move out to avoid his punches and verbal abuses. He had given her dark, livid bruises her face and limbs. Arisa moved in with Hanajima thereafter (It was too rowdy at Shigure's house).
Would she ever see her love bird again?
"Get
a load of me, get a load of you Holding
hands with you and we're out at night The problem
is, this is just the beginning Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you Isn't this the best part of
breakin' up It's an itch we know we are gonna
scratch Here we go we're at the beginning Why can't I breathe
whenever I think about you I'd love for you to make me wonder Why can't I breathe whenever
I think about you Why
can't I breathe whenever I think about you Whenever I think about you
Walkin' down the street and I
hardly know you
It's just like we were meant to be
Got a girlfriend you say it
isn't right
And I've got someone waiting too
We're already wet and we're gonna
go swimming
Why
can't I speak whenever I talk about you
It's inevitable, it's a
fact that we're gonna get down to it
So tell me...
Why can't I
breathe whenever I think about you
Finding someone else you can't get enough of
Someone
who wants to be with you too
Gonna take a while for this egg to hatch
But wouldn't
it be beautiful
We
haven't fucked yet, but my head's spinning
Why can't I speak whenever I talk about
you
It's inevitable, it's a fact that we're gonna get down to
it
So tell me...
Why can't I breathe whenever I think about
you
Where it's goin'
I'd
love for you to pull me under
Somethin's growin'
For this that
we can control
Baby I am dyin'
Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you
Why can't I speak
whenever I talk about you
It's inevitable, it's a fact that we're
gonna get down to it
So tell me...
Why can't I breathe whenever
I think about you
Whenever I
think about you
Whenever I think about you
Whenever I think
about you"
(Liz Phair's Why Can't I)
Meanwhile, Kureno continued his daily tasks, with Arisa in his mind at all times. Short, transient memories, but just as emotionally-wrecking. He was distraught and quick-tempered. Something unlike him.
"Kureno?"
Kureno was in Akito's room as he snapped back into reality from his utter daze.
"Yes, Akito-san."
"Can you please wash my back?"
Much to his dismay, he was her dutiful servant. He had been for years, ever since they were children. Kureno put down the blanket he was folding and went into the adjacent bathroom.
The steam enveloped him immediately. The steam warming up his body. He looked into the tub and saw Akito sitting in a bubble bath her head resting at the back of the tub. She looked relaxed and restful. So out-of-the-ordinary.
Kureno grabbed the natural sponge off the counter and moved closer to Akito. She opened her eyes, the dark orbs piercing his fathomless eyes.
"Why are you so out of it lately? More so than usual. Has Hatori prescribed you any drugs lately?"
"No Akito. I'm just feeling a little tired. That's all." It was true. His colorless, sallow complexion and dark eye bags showed all.
Akito humpfed into her knees as she held them tightly to her breasts while Kureno lathered her back with body wash. The smell was intoxicating, peaches, to be exact.
It didn't matter to Kureno that the "god" was naked, or that the stimulating smell awakened his senses. He had seen her plenty of times. Nothing of interest.
He still considered her a pubescent queen, one, who like Queen Isabella the II of Spain was in no position for all the power she had amassed. She had tried to 'get' to him on multiple occasions, but he was always able to snub her off. Easily. He was taller, stronger, more reasonable. He had never been with a woman before. Truly, not just for the sex. Unlike many men his age, he wasn't sex-obsessed. It meant nothing to him. It was something physical, an 'exercise', at the most. His sex with Akito was lifeless in terms of emotions. A few grunts, moans, and gyrations of the body, nothing passionate; and of course birth control pills. Hatori had provided Akito with those when her "time" came and her cramps came. Everything was perfectly planned.
Kureno longed for something that was permanent, everlasting, undying, lasting.
Love.
Kureno used both hands to move the sponge up and down Akito's unblemished back, smooth and pale from the lack of air and sun. So unlike that of his young lover, Arisa. Her face exuded a luminescent color undesirable but full of vivacity. An image her of sitting across from him at the restaurant fluttered into his mind. Akito watched from the corner of eye Kureno's expression. So unreadable. So… love-lost. She had seen it before, in Hatori's eyes. With Kana, that 'normal' girl. What did he see in her anyways?
She shrugged off the thought. Kureno was nothing more than a slave. He didn't love anyone, and no one would ever love him back. Too lost and distant.
Akito was going to get down to the bottom of this. One way or another. But now she was going to enjoy her wash.
Turning to her rare "good" side, she spoke, "Kureno, why don't you go out for today. I'm feeling well enough to take care of myself."
"Are you sure, Akito-san?"
"Yes, don't criticize my judgment."
Kureno's heart skipped a beat before he finished and excused himself. He went into his own room down the hallway, one he rarely used because he slept with Akito for most of the nights. He opened to door to the musty room and sauntered to the closet. He pulled it open swiftly and found the perfect outfit. Something casual. A form-fitting navy polo shirt and gray wool slacks. The autumn temperature, as he had heard on the radio while preparing breakfast would be mild. Even if he didn't find her, he would enjoy his break.
Straightening himself up in the tall mirror, he silently prayed to himself that he would see Arisa again. Please, please, please. To satisfy the thirsty knowledge: if she reciprocated the same feelings for him as he did for her.
It she didn't, he would leave her alone. He wasn't going to chase after someone who didn't love him back. But if she did love him, or like him at least, he would be able to take a hand at love.
This was his only chance at true love.
::: I hope you all enjoyed this story. Please comment! (The more, the faster I will post the next installment) It would make me mucho contento (very happy in Spanish). Tune in next time!
Thanks in advance.