By your side - A collection of Haru+Rin Drabbles and Oneshots.

This was written to clear my head, to write down ideas that kept coming up or for pure entertainment.

Disclaimer: No money made, Fruits Basket is Takaya Natsuki's.

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Chapter 1 – Orange

"Want some?", he asked and offered a slice of the neatly peeled orange without turning from where he had made himself comfortable in the windows seat.

Rin looked up from where she sat on the floor at the low table, unseeingly staring at a book she was supposed to read for a homework assignment. Staring at the orange, she swallowed the bitter words that sat so readily on her tongue and just took the offered slice.

"What's so fascinating out there?", she huffed, before she reluctantly bit into the ripe fruit.

"Nothing", he simply answered without elaborating. She didn't question him further.

She fixed a stare at the open book in front of her – a text she didn't have even the slightest interest in. With a sigh she leaned back over the text, keeping up the pretense of actually reading, although she didn't turn a page in minutes.

"You don't have to act as if, Rin. Not with me." She looked up again, looking at Haru's face that was turned away from her.

With a sigh of defeat she shut the book, propping the rest of the orange slice into her mouth and took out the sketchbook and pencil from her bag and leaned back against the wall. Haru didn't move, knowing without looking that he was once more the model for one of her drawings.

For a long time they didn't talk, simply enjoyed the presence of the other one. After some time Haru shut his eyes, lulled into sleepiness by the regular sound of the pencil on paper and the chirping birds in the garden.

He opened his eyes, when he heard her shut the scratch book.

"Can I move?"

"Yes." He didn't ask her to see the drawing, he knew that she didn't like to show her unfinished pieces. Later today she would refine the scratch, maybe even color it.

"I'm hungry. How about we go out and get something to eat?", he asked. She looked up at him and nodded slowly.

"That's fine", she said, although her voice said otherwise. She stood up, packing her sketchbook and stuff back into her bag.

She could actually feel his eyes on her, could feel the worry he radiated. Lately she hadn't been eating regularly and it was showing. Had it been any other person but Haru suggesting to get something edible, she would have answered it was none of their business. Haru was different though. He really wanted her to be okay.

Still it made her uncomfortable to be on the receiving end of those calculating looks, even if it was Haru.

"Don't look at me like that", she said, her voice harsher than she intended.

"Sorry", he said softly. She was silent for a moment.

"No. It's… okay. With you it's okay." She pushed some strands of hair out of her face with an helpless gesture that revealed more than her voice that she really was sorry for her harsh tone. He laid one arm around her shoulders, pulling her to him and pressing her body to his for a moment.

Her head dropped to his shoulder out of habit, while he let his fingers glide through her long black hair.

"Let's go?", he asked in a soothing voice and she nodded.

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The End

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