Tamerlane

By: Silver

loosely based off Poe's poem by the same name Akito-centered Akito's POV Warning: Few Spoilers Akito reflects on her life and memories of her father as she gives birth. A AkitoxShigure romance.

Silver: I know it's a little while since my update but here's the next chapter. Thank you.

Oh dear, Stop This Trash, please don't flame my ShigurexTohru fic, many of my fans would be upset. You could just read Tamerlane instead! :D But anyways, thanks for the encouragement. I'm glad that someone's enjoying my latest story. I put up 4 new stories and no ones reviewed any of them except for this one and my only ouran high school host club one. Oh well. Thanks again and to my silent readers. Enjoy the next chapter!

PS: Don't worry, Stop This Trash, there will be a way of how Akito can tell who her baby daddy is. . I sounded like my mom when I said that. Lol. Besides, she may have slept with Hatori and Ayame but not as much as Kureno and Shigure. O_O

I would also like to thank TheMeltingSnow for reviewing this story. I only implied sex between Akito, and the last two of the Madubachi Trio to make the story a bit more suspenseful and Hatori and Ayame are apart of her inner circle.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket or Tamerlane. Tamerlane belongs to Edgar Allan Poe and Fruits Basket belongs to Funimation and Tokyopop and its original creator.

Warning: There might spoilers from the manga and anime. And there's a…I guess you can call it an-almost-sex scene in this chapter. I'm just letting you all know now.

Chapter Three:

"I have not always been as now:

The fever'd diadem on my brow

I claim'd and won usurping---

Hath not the same fierce heirdom given

Rome to the Caesar--this to me?

The heritage of a kingly mind,

And a proud spirit which hath striven

Triumphantly with human kind."

-Edgar Allan Poe, Verse 3 of Tamerlane.

I dragged my fingers carelessly across the wooden floorboard as I laid there on my side, lost deeply in my thoughts. My red robe was the only thing covering my pale form. I had no intentions of actually covering up like Hatori had suggested. A growl escape my lips at the dragon's lingering thoughts and worries. It was only Summer and he was worried about me getting a cold while trying to carry a baby to full term.

True I should be following his advice--seeing as how this baby could be my only child but I've been doing fine so far. As a matter of fact, I've been full of more energy than I've ever been in my entire life.

A nearby clock chimed off the wall, signifying that it is officially morning. To me it also meant that I was now at the end of my first three months. No one could really tell that I was pregnant for I somehow remained almost as skinny as I always was but Hatori had told me that pregnancies don't normally show until around the third and fourth month. I could have sworn Hatori was trying to hide the urge to smile at my naiveté at being a mother. Stupid dragon!

I rolled over onto my stomach, careful to not to add too much pressure on it. The pillow before me felt lukewarm as I rested my forehead on it. Why did I have to be so confused right now? My heart was heavy with burden and my thoughts were unresting. It's been like this since I saw Shigure at Hatori's a few weeks ago.

The pain and loneliness of not being near the damned dog didn't really set in until a few nights ago when I threw Kureno out of my room. I guess my days of cheating on Shigure, and trying to deny my love for him are drawing to close. We've been doing this dance for several years now or at least since I had turned fifteen years old.

Hearing the turning of a doorknob, I quickly closed my eyes and pretend to be asleep. It was probably that damned rooster again. He's been coming in a lot lately, trying to make up for whatever injustice he thought he had done to me. Soft footsteps entered my room. Keeping my eyes tightly shut, I heard my unknown visitor shut the door as quietly as they could but I had heard a small groan issued by the troublesome door.

I just shifted my body over to the side a little, pretending to have only stirred within my slumber. Soon the footsteps drew closer and I felt a little bit of the cold air seeping into my blanket as it was lifted. I then opened my eyes slowly. I knew exactly who this perpetrator was.

"Shigure." I said the name and a small laugh sounded from behind as a strong arm drew me against his body.

"So you knew it was me, Akito-san?" The dog asked good naturedly. His voice…damn him! Why did he have to sound so annoying yet charming. Swallowing the bit of nervousness balling in the back of my throat, I turned around ever so slightly until he was just in my line of vision.

A strange sadness had graced his beautiful features as his black eyes met with my teal ones. That sad look had almost tore my heart out.

"Why are you here?" I asked, I couldn't hide the hurt and anger in my tone as I asked that question. Why was he here? His hand slipped my robe down off my shoulders and he pressed his lips to my skin.

"I'm here because I heard you threw Kureno out the other night, and not being near you is ripping me apart, Akito." he had left out 'san' but then again, he never used the honorific when it's just the two of us in my bed room. Anger tugged at my heart but instead of pushing Shigure away, I caved in and I brought my left hand to rest on the side of his face. The dog's kisses trailed up my shoulder, stopping at the juncture where my shoulder curved, forming my neck. I could feel his teeth nipping lightly at my pale skin, his hand tracing the contour of my body as he did so.

As he began the foreplay that comes with our making up, I felt Shigure's hand rest upon my stomach, where the life growing inside lingered. I felt him smile against my skin and he bit down hard on my neck, earning a loud hiss from me. Damn dog, why did he have to bite so damn hard? It was then that he spoke, using his arms and legs as leverage to keep me from escaping. I knew what was to happen.

"So who's the father?" The novelist asked, now towering over me while sitting on his knees. Shigure pinned my arms above my head as our eyes met. There was a sense of hurt and insecurity burning in his coal colored eyes. A small smile formed on my lips as I narrowed my own eyes at him.

"Now who told you about my being pregnant? Hatori?" I asked sullenly; I tried break free of his vice grip but Shigure was stronger. He applied more pressure on his legs and my arms as he held me there. "I have a keen sense of smell, Akito. Now tell me who the father is. Is it Kureno? Hatori? Or Aaya? Or me? Who?!"

This pain…he was too strong. I glared daggers at the damned dog. Whether he meant or not, he was hurting me by keeping me pinned like this. I know my squirming body didn't help any either. I felt tears burning at my eyes as the pain became an ache. "Release me, you damn dog!" I yelled, but my voice only came out as a strangled cry.

I expected Shigure to press harder but I no longer felt the pressure of his body pinning me down. Instead Shigure brought his forehead to rest on my stomach. Strands of his short black hair tickled my skin as he did so. The tickling sensation were soon accompanied by hot tear drops that spilled from his eyes. I lifted my head and stared at my dog in confusion. 'Why the hell is he crying?'

"Damn it, Akito! I can't bear it any longer, this pain inside me." His voice was quiet and sad, barely a whisper. Feeling tears burning at my own eyes, I sat up and grabbed the sides of his face, forcing Shigure Sohma to look at me. Tears glistened in his beautiful sorrowful black eyes. What was this feeling tugging at my heart? "Akito?"

"Shigure." I whispered, and I pulled the middle-aged man closer to me. His lips collided with mine in a passionate kiss. I could feel all the hurt, all the sorrow that we have both caused each other. It was truly painful. For five painstaking years, Shigure and I have been stabbing each other in the back by cheating on each other. Both of us were too damned stubborn to admit that we truly loved each other and no one else.

Amidst the kissing, I felt Shigure arms go around me as he moved us both back under my blanket where we continued to succumb to our overwhelming desire for each other.

Silver: I think this chapter is a bit shorter than the last two but it should do until I write the next one. Leave a review on your way out.