Fruits Basket Drabbles
In an attempt to post more fandom stuff...
I wrote these two drabbles for a drabble tree game at 4thewords.com. I got into watching Fruits Basket (the 2019 remake) because I saw people I follow posting about it on tumblr. I cannot recommend this show enough. But be warned: it will make you cry. It deals with so many weighty issues all while also being cute and funny. It's about a family that's cursed by the twelve zodiac animals. Whenever they're hugged by someone of the opposite sex, they turn into their animal (which makes having a love life difficult, as you can imagine). There are actually 13 zodiac animals because there's also Kyo--the cat zodiac (they explain his story right away). Really, the show is about Tohru saving each of the zodiacs one by one just by being herself and loving them without reservation.
The trigger warnings are extensive, though. A few I can think off of the top of my head are for mental illnesses (characters have depression and anxiety among other things), suicides, deaths (with blood), abuse (physical and severe emotional/psychological), and about any other psychological trauma you can think of probably happens. There are a lot of messed up people in the show, but it creates the kind of angst and drama I crave. It's probably not for people easily triggered, though (sorry).
Anyway, my drabbles...
#1
Akito Sohma hated Tohru Honda for one unparalleled reason. She had power. Power she didn’t even begin to understand. Akito didn’t need to feel the connection with the Twelve Zodiacs fizzling out or see the look of abject defiance in their eyes.
He didn’t need any of that to know her power.
Because he could feel it, too. Feel the pull on his soul to be good. To do better. For her. She made him want that, and he hated her for it because it would be so easy to let go and let her lead him out of Hell.
#2
“Make a wish!”
Kyo glared at the small cupcake in his hand-the candle flickering in the breeze. How did she even find out it was my birthday?
With one hand, Tohru fiddled with a flowering weed, and he tried to think of how to tell her that she would be his wish. As her smile faded in apprehension, panic drilled deep into his chest. Kyo blew out the candle with a forced smile.
“What did you wish for?”
He bopped her head. “I can’t tell, or it won’t come true.” And, God, did he want that hug from her.
Little notes:
I wrote the first one before fully finishing the last season, and honestly, that's pretty much how it ended. Akito is the villain of the show. He's the head of the family that controls and abuses the 13 zodiacs. He hates Tohru simply because she's pulling the zodiac members away from him. But in the end, when he confronts her, she wins him over. He wants to be saved and loved by her just like the zodiac members. Then a bunch of drama happens. I liked that not everyone (and I mean almost no one) forgave Akito for the abuse he put on them, but Akito was allowed to go on with his life and try to find happiness like everyone else. (Purposefully being vague to not spoil anything).
With the second one... Because of the curse, Kyo and Tohru can't physically embrace or he'll turn into a cat. Let's just say that eventually he gets his wish.