Tohru looked towards the door, the look of shock still upon her face. She saw Kyo, and inside she felt happy, but her expression remained the same. Looking back at Akito, she gulped and spoke. 'A-Akito...I..B-But..'
'Tohru?! What did he do to you?!' yelled Kyo, taking a step forward. His eyes were flashing with rage, and he had his fists up, just in case something happened.
Akito looked back at Tohru, the overwhelming sadness still in his eyes. 'I understand, Tohru-chan. You don't want to help me. I've just done too many things to be forgiven, I suppose. It's fine. Go with Kyo.'
A wave of sympathy washed over her. He really is trying to change..
'Akito-san..I can still help you. You can still change, you know. You just have to try..I know you can..'
'No, Tohru-chan. My heart..It's too deep in evil. It's my part of the zodiac curse. Everyone else lives with at least some good in their hearts, but me..I live with nothing but spite and hatred until I die.'
Tears began to form in Tohru's eyes. She truly felt sorry for him. It was impossible for her to even imagine the horror that must come with being plagued with such hate. 'No! You learned to love me, didn't you?! So there must be some type of good inside of you! And you wanted to change! That has to count for something!'
'I didn't love you. I wanted to use you for my own selfish ways. I wanted to learn from you how to be happy and how to live life as I should. But now I know. This is how I'm supposed to live my life. It's my destiny, and I cannot contradict it, no matter how hard I try. Thank you for trying, Tohru-chan. But I'm afraid that it's too late for me, even with your help. Now please, I need some peace. Go home with Kyo. Be happy.'
Hatori and Shigure appeared at Tohru's side, each taking a hand. 'Tohru-chan. Come on. We should go home.' said Shigure softly.
She tried to struggle. 'But..'
Akito's eyes turned fierce and angry. He stood at his full height, towering far over Tohru. Out of his back pocket he pulled a throwing knife. In a single movement of his hand, they knife was thrown, landing on the wall beside Tohru, mere inches from her head. 'I said go!'
Then Tohru realized that he was right. As she turned her head slightly to look at the knife, she saw it. It wasn't his fault that he was filled with hate. In order for every other member of the zodiac to live happily, Akito had to take in all of the hate and keep it. It was his job, and Tohru saw that she had no right to try and change it. With a little bow of her head, she turned and walked out of the room, with Kyo right next to her, and Kagura, Shigure, and Hatori taking up the rear. The large double doors closed behind them with a solemn thump as they retreated back to their home.
XxxXxxXxxX
Hours later, Kyo sat on his bed, staring at the small velvet box that lay in his hand. He kept opening and closing the box, staring at the diamond ring hidden inside. He would repeatedly get up, only to sigh and sit back down. I have to do this eventually. Just go. The more you think about it, the more nervous you're gonna be. Just do it!
But it wasn't as easy. He broke out in a nervous sweat, before standing up one final time. He glanced at the picture of his mother that now stood on his nightstand, where he could see it always. 'Which me luck, mom. Here I go.'
OoOoOoO
Akito rose from where he had been sitting for the past few hours, ever since they had left. Kureno rose with him. 'Going somewhere?' he said, as gently as he could manage.
'Yes. Out to the garden. You don't need to follow me. I won't be there long.'
Akito had said that with great calmness in his voice, but as he walked slowly out the door and into the garden, Kureno immediately knew what was really going on. He thought about running after Akito, convincing him not to do it, but he knew it was just a waste. What Akito wanted, Akito got. Well, most of the time, anyway.
OoOoOoO
Kyo walked nervously to the door, pausing for a deep breath. He raised his shaking hand to the wooden door and knocked softly, part of him hoping that she was either asleep or not there. His heart did a cartwheel when he heard her voice.
'Yes?'
'Uh..Tohru? C-Can I come in? I..I need to ask you something really important.'
The door opened...
OoOoOoO
...and Akito stepped lightly onto the porch where he had spent many of his days and nights, staring at the stars, wondering why they shone so bright for him when he didn't deserve it. Or looking at his beautiful garden, wondering how his own self, engulfed in darkness, could have created it.
A small flower fell from one of the nearby trees, landing perfectly on his hand. He sat down in his regular spot, and closed his eyes to imagine. To imagine a place where maybe he didn't kill, where maybe there was no hate for him, where maybe he could learn to love. Where maybe he could become like Tohru.
He reached into his pocket...
OoOoOoO
...and took out the velvet box, handling it with the utmost care. Tohru seemed puzzled. 'What's that, Kyo-kun?'
He took another breath and opened the box, revealing the ring inside. She gasped. 'Tohru. This ring is for you.'
'For me? But it's so pretty! And it sparkles..'
'Tohru?' He stepped closer to her and took her hand, causing her to look into his eyes, searching for hints of what was going on.
'Yes, Kyo-kun?'
He squeezed her hand tighter, and realization hit Tohru.
A tear formed in her eye...
OoOoOoO
...and slid silently down his cheek. He was crying. For the first and last time in Akito's life, he was crying. And it wasn't because he had killed dozens. It wasn't because he would never change.
It was because he was happy. For once, he was happy. He knew what awaited him, and he was happy. For him, and for all that he would leave. The blade in his hand was just the way to get there, to the place he had always dreamed of, even as a child.
He stretched out his arm...
OoOoOoO
...and offered her the gleaming ring. With his heart beating a million times a second, he looked deeply into her eyes. Then Kyo asked. The question that would forever seal them together. 'Will you marry me?'
Tohru was speechless. She kept looking rapidly from Kyo, to the ring, and back to Kyo again. Tears were now falling from her eyes, no matter how much she tried to hold them back. This was it. Speak, Tohru! Speak! Ack! Why can't I speak?! Why can't I tell him yes?! Okay. Here I go. Okay. Say it. Say it. SAY IT!
She spoke...
OoOoOoO
...and the words came naturally. It was the song that he had remembered from when he was a little boy, finally learning of his place in the zodiac curse. He closed his eyes.
And angels will see
what has become of me
and how much I have changed.
They will admire
all the ways I have tired
of the person who was me.
The joy in my heart
is just a small part
of the way it was meant to be.
In this beautiful place
with melody and grace,
I can hurt myself no more.
Akito raised the blade, aiming carefully, and said goodbye to everything he had hated. He felt sorrow in his heart for the people he had hurt, and hoped that he would be forgiven. The blade moved forward as...
OoOoOoO
...she inhaled and said, 'Yes. Kyo-kun. I will marry you!'
And that was it. That was what is took to break the zodiac curse between Tohru and Kyo. For the rest of their lives, they would be able to hold each other and hug, because they truly loved each other. To see if they had done it, Tohru flung herself into Kyo's waiting arms, crying in joy when he did not transform. They would finally be happy, but as they embraced their new life of joy, Tohru couldn't keep her thoughts from drifting back to Akito...
OoOoOoO
...as he lay still and cold, his hand still on the blade, where it had entered his chest and pierced his heart. He was not dead yet, and with his dying breath, he muttered 'If I cannot change..then I will go somewhere where..I cannot harm anyone..'
And then he was completely still, his eyes gazing out into nothing. The only hint that gave his intentions away was the look of pure happiness that graced his face. It was the look of happiness that she had given him, and because of her, he would finally be alright.
The one thing that everyone had thought impossible had finally happened. Akito was happy, and he would remain that way forever.
the end!!! i hope everyone liked it!! pleaasee rate and review!! and if anyone has any requests for my next fanfic, i will happily take them and try to do my best!! thanks!
and if anyone is wondering about the last part with Kyo and Tohru, i made the story so that if a zodiac member and a regular human were to truly love each other, they would be able to hug and stuff without any transforming. that was really the only thing i could think of, cause think about it! how do you think other zodiac members are born if a present zodiac member and a human can't hug or anything? it kinda makes sense...