The Selective Mute (Fruits Basket Fanfiction)

Chapter 42

Aimi's POV

I took Kyo back home, carrying him in my arms, as he slept. Tohru helped by carrying his pants, since he transformed into his cat form. When we returned to the house, I put Kyo in his room, and was going to go shower, being covered in dirt, but Yuki stopped me.

"Miss Aimi, are you, okay?" Yuki asked, a look of concern washed over his expression. His eyes were on the wound on my shoulder, that at this point stopped bleeding. But, my shirt had gotten bloody, and the wound was still open. 

"I-I'm fine. This is nothing." I said, trying to tell him I was fine. 

With a sigh, Yuki said, his expression serious, "After you shower, I'll bandage it up for you. Just knock on my door when you're finished."

I nodded, giving Yuki a small smile, before heading off to get myself washed up. As soon as I was done, I went to Yuki's room, and knocked, like he instructed. I didn't even get dressed, as I held the towel tightly to my body, and my hair tied up. It would be easier for him to bandage it this way, since it was on my shoulder.

"Come in." Yuki called out. When I walked in, I saw him sitting on his bed, with a medicine kit beside him, including bandages. "Here, Miss Aimi, sit please." Yuki moved backwards on his bed, making room for me to take a seat in front of him on the bed.

I complied, and sat down where he wanted me too. He quickly begun working, disinfecting it, with a cotton ball, before grabbing the rolled up bandages, and wrapping them around my arm and shoulder, covering it up.

I smiled as I looked over my shoulder at him after he was finished, and said, "Thank you so much. I-I'm going to go get dressed now."

I left in a bit of a rush, going to change into clean clothes. I got dressed, putting on a loose shirt as to not be too tight on my shoulder, and shorts. I had also decided to just keep my hair up.

I let out a deep breath, as I grazed my fingers over the bandages. I know, Kyo wouldn't hurt me on purpose, and I don't blame him for it either. It didn't hurt now, but in the moment it did.

But then again, in that moment, Kyo was all that mattered to me. My own health wasn't of any concern. I didn't want him to go. 

It turned out that Kazuma was leaving, so Tohru and I decided that we'd walk with him out. I made sure to bring my notebook and marker, incase the occasion arose where I needed to communicate with him, and I didn't feel particularly comfortable speaking to him.

When we made it to the street, Kazuma turned to look at Tohru and I, and said, "I'll be fine from here. Thank you for the company."

"Um, do you think you should say something to Kyo before you go?" Tohru questioned. I was slightly worried about how Kyo would feel, if Kazuma left without even saying anything to him. I was also curious, as to why he would just leave without a word to Kyo too.

"What would I say? You know, when I first took him in, it was a form of atonement for me. Like Kyo, my grandfather was possessed by the cat. He was cast out by his immediate family, spoken of cruelly by his relatives, treated horribly by everyone. Myself included. I'm ashamed to admit. I only met my grandfather once. He tried to offer me something, but I told him, 'No way. I'll be cursed.' Such brutal and thoughtless words. And yet, instead of rebuking me, he just smiled, and offered me his forgiveness. Years went by, I grew up, and when I saw the way Kyo was being treated, the world he lived in, I realized for the first time. How foolish we've all been. How needlessly cruel. Taking him in may have been a self-serving decision initially, a way to relieve the pain of my guilty conscious. Yet, before I knew it, I loved him, like he was my son. Like I was his real father. When I took his beads, I ignored his wishes, and forced my ideals of our relationship onto him. That's, why I don't know what to say to him now. 'Good for you. So proud.' What right do I have to say that? After selfishly putting my feelings before his. It would be arrogant, and unfair. Besides, all I did was create the opportunity. You two, are the ones who saved Kyo. You both were there when it mattered the most, thank you." Kazuma said, telling us about his past, his relationship with Kyo, and his current feelings.