Fruits Basket, "A New Evolution" Hatori/Mayuko [rated G]
Fandom: Fruits Basket
Title: A New Evolution
Author: Paynesgrey
Characters/Pairings: Hatori/Mayuko, past Hatori/Kana
Rating: G
Word Count: 520
Genre: Drama/Romance
Universe: Manga canon (entire series)
Notes: Written for the "Passion" theme at fb_fics. *Original post.
Summary: Hatori reflects on his past and how things have changed for him.
Passion was not an emotion that Hatori knew intimately. His lifestyle as the Sohma's doctor did not make time for such emotions, and to feel anything with such fervor was a risk of catching Akito's ire. He had done that once - fallen in love and felt so passionately about someone else that he had become greedy, and Akito's reaction to his engagement had confirmed that he was.
So he lost her, lost that passion, and when he stripped Kana of her memories, all that remained were guilt and pain. He suffered all on his own, emotionally and physically, and he closed off his heart to others.
He never forgot that little time of passion he experienced, even if it pained him to remember. His only regret was he alone remembered everything, yet his main concern had always been for Kana. She moved on, found someone else, and she became happy without him and no longer suffered. If he had to endure the memories without her, he was strong enough as long as he sacrificed his passion and submitted to Akito.
His reward for this suffering, he supposed, was that in time such pain numbed and faded into the past. Things changed and their family evolved. Even Akito was able to find her own happiness, and though Hatori once warned Tohru Honda to stay away from their family, he was now grateful that she didn't listen to him in the end.
He smiled when he thought of the past now. The pang of regret still lingered in his heart ever so slightly, but seeing Kana's happiness with her husband was enough to mollify his residual somber thoughts. As he moved on, Hatori felt renewed. Akito didn't care what her family did anymore, and even Shigure was cheering for Hatori to evolve himself.
Hatori would never publicly exert such elation, not for Shigure or Ayame's pleasure, but he would resolve to break free from the wall he built around his heart, and he would try to find that passion again.
He blinked and came back to reality when he saw Mayuko's brilliant eyes watching him from across the table. She smiled at him, content to watch him as he fell into his own internal thoughts, and he wondered what he was doing to make her so happy. Was it his smile of being free from this curse? Or was it because they were sharing their fifth date together, and things could only get closer between them?
Hatori sipped the last bit of his tea, and he paid the bill as they left the cafe. Mayuko took his arm, and as Hatori watched her, he was unable to censor the words that came pouring past his lips.
"Come home with me," he said in a low, controlled tone. Her cheeks lightly flushed and she nodded once before leaning closer against him. The two of them walked arm and arm down the quiet streets toward the Sohma household. The view in front of them was painted with a setting sun, with the colors of unbridled love stretching skyward to the waking stars.
END
Title: A New Evolution
Author: Paynesgrey
Characters/Pairings: Hatori/Mayuko, past Hatori/Kana
Rating: G
Word Count: 520
Genre: Drama/Romance
Universe: Manga canon (entire series)
Notes: Written for the "Passion" theme at fb_fics. *Original post.
Summary: Hatori reflects on his past and how things have changed for him.
Passion was not an emotion that Hatori knew intimately. His lifestyle as the Sohma's doctor did not make time for such emotions, and to feel anything with such fervor was a risk of catching Akito's ire. He had done that once - fallen in love and felt so passionately about someone else that he had become greedy, and Akito's reaction to his engagement had confirmed that he was.
So he lost her, lost that passion, and when he stripped Kana of her memories, all that remained were guilt and pain. He suffered all on his own, emotionally and physically, and he closed off his heart to others.
He never forgot that little time of passion he experienced, even if it pained him to remember. His only regret was he alone remembered everything, yet his main concern had always been for Kana. She moved on, found someone else, and she became happy without him and no longer suffered. If he had to endure the memories without her, he was strong enough as long as he sacrificed his passion and submitted to Akito.
His reward for this suffering, he supposed, was that in time such pain numbed and faded into the past. Things changed and their family evolved. Even Akito was able to find her own happiness, and though Hatori once warned Tohru Honda to stay away from their family, he was now grateful that she didn't listen to him in the end.
He smiled when he thought of the past now. The pang of regret still lingered in his heart ever so slightly, but seeing Kana's happiness with her husband was enough to mollify his residual somber thoughts. As he moved on, Hatori felt renewed. Akito didn't care what her family did anymore, and even Shigure was cheering for Hatori to evolve himself.
Hatori would never publicly exert such elation, not for Shigure or Ayame's pleasure, but he would resolve to break free from the wall he built around his heart, and he would try to find that passion again.
He blinked and came back to reality when he saw Mayuko's brilliant eyes watching him from across the table. She smiled at him, content to watch him as he fell into his own internal thoughts, and he wondered what he was doing to make her so happy. Was it his smile of being free from this curse? Or was it because they were sharing their fifth date together, and things could only get closer between them?
Hatori sipped the last bit of his tea, and he paid the bill as they left the cafe. Mayuko took his arm, and as Hatori watched her, he was unable to censor the words that came pouring past his lips.
"Come home with me," he said in a low, controlled tone. Her cheeks lightly flushed and she nodded once before leaning closer against him. The two of them walked arm and arm down the quiet streets toward the Sohma household. The view in front of them was painted with a setting sun, with the colors of unbridled love stretching skyward to the waking stars.
END