Heal Me (Akito Sohma Love Story)

Growth

Hana left, the days grew shorter and colder, but even the gloom of the outside world could not penetrate the connection you had with Akito Sohma. Every evening, you would talk your boyfriend into walking around the Sohma estate with you, claiming you both needed to stretch your legs. Akito would roll his eyes and groan, like the whiny brat everyone thought he was, but he would put on his shoes and wrap his arm around your waist as you walked through the village; like the man you knew he could be. You were even surprised one day when you came back from a tutoring session with Haru.

You had walked up to your large home to find Akito waiting there for you, shoes on, and lips pulled into a smile at the sight of you. "Took you long enough!" He joked, standing up and patting his sides. "Ready for our walk?"

"..You really don't mind?" You said, almost suspicious. You had to shower him with kisses and beg him for the evening stroll every other night.

Akito shrugged, trying not to blush. "Eh, you like it. And I like you." He said lowly, approaching you. You couldn't contain your bright smile at his admission and Akito chuckled and rolled his eyes. He squeezed the tip of your nose and walked past you.

"Come on, slow poke."

You rushed to his side and intertwined your fingers with his cold ones. Still smiling, you leaned your head on his shoulder as you walked. Really, you couldn't help it. No matter how many times you heard his confessions; I like you, I love you, you're adorable, you're beautiful.. From Akito they all felt as special and new as the first time the phrases had ever been spoken to you.

"Now who's a lost dog?" You teased, tickling his side lightly.

Akito stuck his foot out to the side to trip you, but you jumped over it, already anticipating his actions. He pulled you back against him by your hand and wrapped his arms around your torso, forcing you to walk backwards as he led. You laughed and tried not to fall over.

"Trust me, trust me." He assured, smiling like a giddy child.

You sighed. "I do trust you."
Your back stopped abruptly against a wall and you scoffed.

"You fool." Akito said before dipping his head downward to plant kisses on your neck. You let a pleasant breath escape you before pushing him away. You were amazed at how comfortable he appeared now, even conceding to make small talk with some neighboring family members. He wasn't a changed man, but he had done a lot of growing, and you knew that you were a part of that. He seemed healthier, brighter, and so did the rest of the Sohma family.

You walked around the whole village until the sky became too dark, and wandered with Akito back to the rubble in his back yard.

"Why do you always look at this place?" Akito said after a moment of just standing there, staring out at the last of the setting sun behind the Sohma wall.

You shrugged, not bothering to take your eyes off of all the potential. "It makes me feel."

Akito turned his head to face you and you could see his confused expression in your peripherals.

"Gross. Why would you want to do a thing like that?"

You scoffed again, got into your trademarked fighting stance™ and fake swung at Akito, who pretended to take the hit. Akito caught your second fist and kissed it, mumbling against your knuckles, "okay, what does it make you feel?"

You shrugged again, still letting him keep your hand. You had never expected to have to say it out loud before, and the messy thoughts in your head embarrassed you.

"I dunno.. Lots of things..." You smiled when you saw he was actually listening intently.

"At first when I looked at it, it made me feel very sad. For you, and for the plants. Like, that was how your heart looked... Abandoned, rotten." You cleared your throat when Akito brought your hand down from his lips. "Sometimes I look at it and still see the neglect, the hopelessness of dead earth... Other days, I see potential."

You bit your lip eyes darting back excitedly to the near-empty lot in Akito's backyard.
"I see all this space reserved for something special, beautiful, and I know that we could grow it together and look back at it every day. It could be like a reflection of our love and care, something even the birds and people that know nothing about us can see and say 'wow, they figured it out. How to be happy, and make everything else happy!'" You laughed at your own innocent ideas, knowing you were rambling but knowing also that Akito would listen to every bit of it.

You looked back at Akito, pale face illuminated only by moonlight, looking at you as if you were every star.

"I'm going to give you a garden, (Y/n)." He said, voice honest and determined.

"Come spring, we're going to have every flower you like, and I'll learn to like them too." He gave an awkward quirk of smile towards the end. "I want to make beautiful things with you... We deserve to be happy, don't we?"

You couldn't help but  leap up into Akito's arms, catching him by surprise and knocking the both of you down to the dirt floor. He laughed breathlessly as you smothered him with kisses.

The concept was exciting, and that night you had begun making a list of all the things you'd want to plant. But winter had come, and your garden would have to wait.. sort of. Akito, who actually didn't need much persuasion, and you had begun to make a sort of plant nursery out of your home. Cacti at every corner (Akito the Edgelord's favorite plant), Venus fly traps beside your bed, and your favorite flowers, potted and growing at the window. The two of you had done so much growing together. It was magical to see the reflection in the garden you were raising. As your love grew, so did your plants.

Akito understood the true meaning of happiness with you, and he had a desire he'd never experienced before; to make other things happy too.