Sorry if you've been waiting for this, my sister's stupidity made me delete the other version I had of this, which was only a page and a half and far worse... so better late than never?
Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket. Fruits Basket belongs to Natsuki Takaya, I only own a white mouse named Yuki, a rabbit named Momo and a couple of tasty Oreos named Haru. And no, I don't own the Oreo Company either. Stupid pricks...
Alright, so there's just a little bit more of this drabble-thing, and I can finally put it up as part Romance and involving Yuki. I wanted this to be a little more dramatic, but Yuki's a kind of sleepy guy. He doesn't really do drastic stuff. Just like me.
So, yeah.
This took about two hours as well, and yes, I'm fully aware that Hatsuharu and Rin are together, and I'm not going to kill her off like some annoying fan girl prick. Happy now?
I like the word 'prick' today. Hm... I dunno. On with the story, I suppose.
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Today started pretty normally. My alarm rang, I got out of bed and dressed myself as well as I can in the mornings, tripped down the stairs, punched Kyo in the face, and finally woke up. Pancakes. There were pancakes with syrup, and... I remember smelling fish and toast with cheese. When I looked at the brunette girl, she simple blushed and said something pertaining to the fact that we only had leftovers and she had to go shopping after work today.
I didn't ask anything, but that's just the way Miss Honda is.
After breakfast, I went upstairs, fixed the buttons on my shirt, tied my tie properly, and combed my grey hair so that it didn't look like I had a bad case of static cling. These are all just morning things though, and pretty normal for me, so I can't remember anything in any real detail.
We got to school, and Momiji went flying into Tohru like projectile missile, but he hit Kyo's biology textbook instead. Or, rather, Kyo's biology textbook hit him. But that too, is pretty normal. I didn't see Haru, but he skips pretty often. I've stopped trying to talk to him about it; he just says something completely illogical and then comes onto me in a voracious and embarrassing manner. No, these are normal things. All I can really remember from earlier is raising my hand, sensei calling me, the floor flying towards my face... and then blackness.
Choking, darkness.
Like some sort of demon is clutching at my throat.
As though I'm drowning in molten glass, filling up my ears and eye-
Can't breathe-
Can't see-
Floor spinning, feet pounding-
When I do wake up, it's sometime later; and definitely not in the classroom. I can tell from the cool, collected, quiet atmosphere of the place where I am.
Sohma House.
At first, I scan my surroundings frantically like a trapped rat. Because, ironically enough... But then Hatori enters, and my blurry vision clears. I can see that this is his office, so I calm down for the most part. "Haa-ri?" The doctor turns to see that I'm fine and writes some things down, answering back with a monotonous "Yes?" I fidget a bit, picking at a loose thread in my uniform. "I'm okay, right?" Hatori nods and my breathing eases up a little. "It was just another attack, Yuki; but I don't know what induced it. You haven't had one in a while." I nod slowly. Haa-ri's golden eyes catch my grey ones for an instant and hold them there, and he motions to the door with his pen. "Would you mind waiting outside for a bit? I was busy with another patient, but Shigure insisted..."
I nod again, quicker again, and jump off of the table; still feeling relatively shaky. Oh well. I walk out the door, and Hatsuharu walks in. Funny, he looks blanker than usual today; staring straight ahead and pulling his coat around him... but it doesn't really matter. I settle down on one of the chairs and listen to the rain hit the sliding door. It calms me and soothes the torn and tattered ends of my nerves.
Kyo must be really out of it. He might even cut gym, I muse to myself. I really am bored; there never was anything much fun to do at the Sohma estate. Well, not for me, anyway. Hmmm... I wonder what Haru's in here for. I listen carefully to the rain, and I can hear a faint 'ouch'. Very calm. Just like Haru. I take a deep breath and can smell the earthy scent of the beads of water mixing with the dusty soil outside, so comforting. Earth, water... blood. I sniff again; that can't be right. No, there is blood, and a small hint of ammonia.
I poke into Hatori's office slightly, but neither Haa-ri nor Haru sees me. Hatori crosses the room towards the ox, his white coat nearly brushing my nose from the proximity. I can smell hydrogen peroxide, so Hatsuharu must have gotten cut on something... I'm not sure.
"So, Hatsuharu," Hatori started in a low voice that I couldn't have heard from my other perch, "tell me the real reason that you're all cut up like that?" Haru is quiet, and I'm slightly afraid. "Well, Hatori," he starts blandly, "I was walking back home from errands, and a group of thugs decided that my necklaces were gay, or something. Thugs don't really need a reason for anything. I went black when one of them pushed me up against a wall, but all of them together were too much for me. I went to Akito, and he sent me here..." Hatori has been staring Haru down this whole time, as though trying to see a breach in expression.
None of that happens though; Hatsuharu doesn't really give anything away. But the idea that a bunch of street thugs can have their way with him isn't very convincing to me. Sure, he may not be a match for Kyo or me, but he's a much better fighter than the average thug. Hatori doesn't seem to think so either. "You're not a very convincing liar." Haru shrugs. "But that will have to do for an explanation." He looks down, I don't think I've ever seen much emotion on Haru's face at all, but there's a definite sense of dejection there. "Now, Haru. For real now. How did you get these wounds?"
Haru looked up again, linking his fingers and making contact with Hatori's eyes, unblinking. "Akito summoned me and then decided to hit me a couple of times and then cut me along the torso." After a small pause, he adds, "A lot." I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and Haru's eyes flicker to my position and latch onto my own spying grey ones. I blush and move away from the door, I had almost forgotten where I was.
Poor Haru. Akito had never cut me, but the physical beatings themselves were pretty horrible; and he probably tortured him mentally, too. Cutting... Isolation... is there nothing he won't stoop to? I release my fists when I realize that my knuckles are turning white, and I stop biting my lip for fear of a bruise.
There's suddenly a commotion in Hatori's office and I look up. Haru is walking out very quickly, boots clicking against the floor with his jacket under one arm. I glance at his upper body and I see bandages everywhere. I stand up and reach one hand out towards him, like I have no control over my body. Trembling. "Haru..." He glances between me and Hatori's office door, lingering on my eyes. He lets out a questioning noise and I take a breath. "Hatsuharu, are you... what happened?" My fright makes me change my question at the last second, and I must seem so weak to him.
Haru gives a slight nod and turns away. "I'll be fine, Yuki." That's not what I asked... I have to accept it though. I stumble forward and clutch his hand, my mind and body not acting as one. The blush on my face is the only thing that betrays that my mind is still working. Haru gives me a surprised look and kisses me on the forehead. "Really... I mean it." There's such sincerity there that it almost makes me want to cry. The pad of his thumb brushes against my cheek and moves my hair out of my eyes. My body freezes up, finally catching up with my brain. The only part that doesn't seem to be connected yet is the hand holding Haru's, which tightens its grip.
"I feel like getting something to eat, what do you think; Yuki?" Haru asks suddenly. "Er... well, go for it; I guess..." I blink, somewhat confused. Since when does Hatsuharu ask permission for ANYTHING? I guess I'm kind of slow though, because he grabs me by the hand and starts dragging me out the door into the drizzle. "Haru, we're not allowed to leave Haa-ri's office without accompaniment." He turns back to face me, not slowing his pace any. "I'm accompanying you, you're accompanying me, and how is that breaking any rules?" I sit there for a moment in thought. Well, perhaps sit isn't the word, seeing how he is currently dragging me towards his house.
"Haru?" Before I can really ask anything, he states, "I have to get a new shirt or two. The other three are sort of ruined. Just wait in the kitchen with Mom and ignore my father, okay?" I blinked back. "...alright, then."
I walk into the kitchen with Haru, and his mom comes over and squeals, practically knocking me over with an embrace. Nobody says anything for a minute as I crawl out of my shirt and brush my paws off, trying to keep my dignity in the tiny form. Luckily for me, my zodiac form doesn't exactly give away my huge blush. There's another moment or two of silence before Haru starts shaking his head and muttering "Mom" repeatedly as though he were exasperated with something. She giggles awkwardly. "Sorry, Yuki-kun, I just got so excited, I guess I forgot..." She rubs the back of her head sheepishly.
"Haru, honey... are you alright? What's up with the bandages?" Haru gave a small, reassuring smile. "It's nothing. I got into a fight; Hatori had to bandage me up. That's all." His mother smiles in a way that reminds me of nothing short of Tohru. "Alright, I trust you, Haru." Hatsuharu walks upstairs. My tiny, furry body is too small a capsule for my rage right now, and I sprint up the stairs after Haru to give him a piece of my mind. I squeeze under the door just in time to see him slip on a black, sleeveless hoodie. I wonder about the practicality of it, but shake it out of my head and get on top of his dresser.
Thank Kami for claws.
"Sohma Hatsuharu, are you seriously going to lie to your mother like that? We both know you didn't get into a fight. At least not with thugs." I have his full attention now, but that isn't the half of my anger. Seriously, what's with this guy? He has a mom that seriously cares about him even though he's a member of the zodiac, she trusts him completely, and he'd lie to her like that? Haru raises an eyebrow, apparently feeling the ferocity I'm oozing right now. "What? Are you going to rat me out, Yuki?" I crinkle my nose in distaste. "Haru..." I warn. I guess he's the only person that takes me seriously in this form. He takes everybody seriously, all of the time. "Anyway, my mom has enough to worry about with financial problems and such, and technically I didn't lie. I did get into a fight. I didn't say it was with thugs." He smiles slightly and taps my nose.
Well, damn if that didn't unnerve me. My fur stands on end. If somebody were to rub me against a balloon I would be clinging to it. He blinks a couple of times, picks me up gently and sets me on the floor. "Stay here until you change back, okay? I'll go get your clothes." I look after him for a second and then look away. Brilliant plan, Yuki. And you worked so hard to do your tie right today, too... I'm sort of surprised I haven't changed back yet, though. Maybe it's from the anger, my sickness and the effects from being hugged? I'm not sure. Haru comes back in and sets my clothes on his bed. "I'll be downstairs, okay?" I nod abruptly so it can be seen, with my small stature. This evokes a chuckle from Haru, which I'm polite enough to ignore.
After about five more minutes poking around and generally wondering how Haru can breathe in this room, I finally change back and into my clothes. I ditch the sweater and roll up my sleeves though; after all, I don't want to look completely like a school nerd. I shake out my hair slightly and walk downstairs. Haru is engaged in conversation with his mom, and I can barely hear what they're talking about. Another step reveals that they're talking about the differences between Ritsu and an okami. I can't help but let out a laugh, and Haru turns his head. His face is dead serious, which just makes my laughter increase, and I trip the last couple of steps of the way down the stairs.
...floor flying to my face-
I brace myself, but nothing happens. I look up. Of course Haru caught me. Cliché, much? I make a little clicking sound in the back of my throat, and he blinks. He leans forward a little bit, and I find myself shrinking back from his face, blush settling over my face like a thick satin curtain. The way he's holding me, I can't move my head back any more, but he stops moving forward as well. I can feel his breath on my lips, and it makes me feel... anxious? No, no way... I shiver slightly from the proximity and lick my lips from the dryness. "What's the matter, Yuki," he purrs out softly for only my ears to hear, "did I startle you?"
I don't move, and Haru's mom saves me in the nick of time, clearing her throat. She doesn't look disturbed at all, but she's looking at the clock now. "Hurry up and get some lunch, maybe you can get to school in time for the second half if you move it." Haru sets me down, expression blank again. "Right, let's go." I give a slight bow to his mom before I set out the door. The rain had finally stopped. "So, Haru... where are we going, anyway?" He kicks a rock into a bush with his hands in his pockets and looks up to the sky. "How do you feel about Italian?" I felt Haru's forehead with the back of my hand, to make sure it wasn't hot. "Yuki...?" I smile lightly. "Oh, nothing, Haru. I was just checking to make sure you weren't sick, because I thought we were planning on making the rest of the school day instead of skipping it." Hatsuharu didn't turn his head, but he did tilt it and smile a little bit. "Oh, Yuki. You've really got to stop worrying about school. Lighten up."
I open my mouth to protest, but he leans over and pressed a finger to my lips with a "shush". "It would worry people more if you were to come back to school after an attack like that." "What do you mean, 'Attack like that'? You weren't even there." "Yuki, Yuki, Yuki." Hearing him say my name like that makes my spine tingle. "All of your attacks are the same, Yuki dearest. You feel completely normal, you can't move, you hit the floor, and somebody has to pound some air into your lungs until you can breathe again." I blush, glaring at him for putting it like that. "I hate you." "No you don't, you looove me," he teases, clinging to my shirt. "Haru, I hate it when you do that." He moves behind me, clutching my shirt from behind this time, and he buries his face in his hair. I hate it! Well, no... I guess... I guess I hope that I washed my hair this morning. Not like I could remember.
I surrender to Haru, letting out a sigh as he moves his chin on top of my head. "Italian food it is." He emits a contented sigh as well, nuzzling the top of my head. It feels good, I'm not complaining. "I love you, Yuki." "Save that for Rin..." As much as I hate to admit it, he's with Rin. And besides, he's my cousin. Well, Rin's my cousin too... but I'm not pulling away. "I don't need to tell Rin. She already knows." His body bends a little bit and he grips me around the chest from behind, now resting his chin on my shoulder. "And I have Rin. Yes, I love her. I love her more than you can imagine." I slump a little, too tired to try and push him away. "But see? You have Rin."
I swore I could have heard him mutter, "But I want both of you..." but I start to fall asleep to the gentle lull of his heartbeat.
Doki...
Doki...
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/End Chapter
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A/N:
Yay? Boo? I'm not really feeling it this chapter, but what they hey. It's 3:55 AM and I still haven't written a single letter of my 5 paragraph essay for my English tutor today. I'm just out of it. THAT WOMAN IS CRAZY.
Please R&R? Please?