Selfish-Chapter Ten
Hey all...yes, I am alive. I have been working on this one for a few weeks but the ending was giving me trouble. I think I am happy with it now. I've just been wanting to skip ahead to the next couple of chapters. Add working, moving and everything else in my life these days...I've finally got a moment to finish this. Thanks to two sick children who are passed out sleeping right now.
Solace
Chapter Ten
Chewing on her lower lip, Tohru absentmindedly turned the fish over in the pan. 'That was...um...I don't really understand.' The crashing noises from the room down the hall had quieted, which seemed to settle Tohru's rapidly beating heart at the same time. Still, the sudden attack had shaken her a bit and it was taking awhile for her to concentrate on the things she needed to do. 'Just don't burn Shishou-san and Kyou-kun's dinner!' Determined to refocus her attention, Tohru found her eyes flickering to the doorway again instead of the dinner she was preparing.
"They haven't ever really gotten along," Kazuma said, breaking the silence in the room with a gentle chuckle. "When they were children they used to have these glaring matches, neither one moving for ten minutes at a time or so. Even if it was for a few minutes, it was nice to get a break from Kyou's enthusiastic energy for a short time."
"Oh...Eh?" Eyes shifting away from the doorway and back to Kazuma with surprise, Tohru blinked once before looking over at Kyou as he sat slumped at the table.
"Glaring isn't the same as attempting to maim someone, Shishou!" Kyou growled, looking over his shoulder to his foster father. "What the hell was that all about? I didn't do a damn thing to her!"
"Can I get a glass of water?" Tohru's head whipped back around to the doorway, caught off guard by the voice that had entered the kitchen. Hatsuharu leaned against the doorway, eyes apparently surveying the small group from where he stood. "Maybe some crackers too...see if I can get her to eat a few of them."
"Of course," Kazuma replied, moving to the refrigerator to get a water from within it as Haru headed to the cabinet for the crackers.
"Um...I can make more if the two of you are hungry," Tohru added, mentally calculating things she could do to make the food go further. "We wouldn't mind if you were to join us."
"Yes, we would," Kyou chimed in, making Tohru wince as he dropped his head to the table in frustration.
"Ah...well...she won't eat in front of anyone else. If you leave some for us, I'm sure she'll eat it though," Haru said, pulling the rice crackers down from their place. Turning back around, he made his way across the room and paused next to Kyou. "Nice dodge, you've improved."
"I didn't dodge!" Kyou growled, bringing his head up as he turned around to glare at his cousin. "Your girlfriend has horrible aim."
"Hmm...maybe she meant to miss you..." Haru shrugged, making Tohru think the entire encounter was over as he took the bottle of water from Kazuma and headed for the entryway. "Anyway...It smells like your girlfriend is a great cook. I'm looking forward to the meal, Honda-san."
"Eh? I...err...I..." the spatula slipped through her fingers and clattered onto the counter.
'Girlfriend?' She could feel the rush of heat as her cheeks flushed, hands fumbling to grasp the utensil back in her hands. It took a moment to get control of the item, her heart pounding rapidly in her chest. "I'm not...I..."
"She's...She's not my girlfriend!" Pressing the spatula to her chest, Tohru didn't dare look at Kyou as he vehemently denied the claim. 'It's true. I'm not, I never even thought about something like that. But why does hearing him say it, hurt?' Staring into the pan, she watched the edges of fish as the small amount of liquid bubbled around it, trying to forget about the clenching in her chest. Blinking her eyes, the telltale warning of impending tears prickled, making her clench them shut as she willed them away. 'It's really silly to get upset about.'
"Would you like a hand with something?" Lids flickering open, Tohru turned to the voice, giving Kazuma a wide smile. She hesitated, not really wanting to reject his offer, but she'd already seen his attempt with the fish. It would be rude to refuse him in his own kitchen...
"Don't touch anything, Shishou." Kyou cut in, getting to his feet from the table. Tohru noticed that Hatsuharu had left again, leaving the three of them alone as they'd been before. "Why don't you go find something else to do? If she needs help, I can help her."
"I can at least manage the rice...I think."
"No, you can't," Kyou said, placing a hand on his father's shoulder and steering him toward the entryway. "I've eaten your rice and wouldn't force her to try it. Go catch up on one of Shigure's books or something until it's done."
A smile slowly crossed Tohru's face watching the two of them, surprised at the tight bond they held. She knew Kazuma wasn't Kyou's real father, but they obviously had a relationship that was much tighter than most children had with their parents. It kind of reminded her of the one she'd had with her own mother. 'I wonder...I wonder what my relationship with my dad would have been like if he'd lived...' For a long time, that was something she wouldn't dare think about, but watching the two of them...
"Hey...what's wrong? You're spacing out again."
"Eh? I'm sorry!" Eyes wide, Tohru hadn't heard him approach and his voice suddenly appearing next to her startled her. Turning toward him, Kyou was lounged against the counter looking at her thoughtfully. "I was just thinking...or rather...um..." She gave a smile giggle, unsure of how to voice her thoughts. "Your relationship with Shishou-san, you are very lucky. Not everyone has that type of a relationship with a parent."
The embarrassment that filtered through his complexion, turning it scarlet, came as a surprise to Tohru. "I'm sorry! Maybe I shouldn't have said anything!" she replied, whipping back to focus on the fish. "I just...It's..."
"No, it's okay...really," he replied, voice strained as he coughed into his hand. "I just didn't expect you to say that is all. Kunimitsu, that's Shishou's assistant, he's constantly making fun of us..."
"It's really special, is all. It just reminds me of my mom and me. After dad died, we really only had each other and were really close," Frowning, Tohru stared into the pan as a wave of regret flowed through her. "I don't remember much about him... Mom didn't really talk about him. Though...I don't know...I guess lately, I regret never asking her. I could ask Grandpa about him, I'm sure he'd tell me...but it's not really the same. Mom and I...I didn't want her to miss him, so I never brought it up. It was like I thought I was competing with him, which is silly. It wasn't until after she was gone that I wished I'd known more...err…” Glancing up, Tohru could feel her cheeks flush deeply as her voice trailed off.
“I’m sorry…I don’t really know why I am telling you this,” she quickly added, waving the whole conversation off with a flick of her wrist. Turning back to her fish, Tohru focused on cooking dinner and trying to calm her suddenly shaking hands. “I…I…don’t normally…talk about…”
“It’s okay,” Kyou said, giving her a gentle smile. “I don’t mind, really.”
“I…I…don’t…never…um…I…” clenching her eyes shut, the tears had suddenly prickled to life. “I don’t…I…why?”
“Hey! Hey!” Flinching as a hand shot to the top of her head, Tohru rubbed an eye with one of her fists as she tried to wipe away the moisture. “What’s with the tears all the sudden?”
“I…don’t know…” Tohru said, burying her face in her hands as she took a deep breath. “I just haven’t ever said that to anyone before…competing with him. I don’t even know why I said it to you.”
“I dunno…I’ve gotten used to your babbling these past few weeks. You could probably tell me your entire life story and I wouldn’t be paying attention enough to actually hear it,” Kyou gave her a smile, trailing his hand from her head down her to her cheek as she gave a nervous giggle. Wiping away a stray patch of wetness from beneath her eye with his thumb, he leaned down with a serious expression until he was almost at eye level. “Don’t burn the fish or you’re no better than Shishou.”
‘The fish?...Oh! The fish!’ Mouth dropping open, Tohru swung back around to her pan in an attempt to save the meal. To her surprise, it wasn’t near burning in the least. Turning back to her companion, he chuckled to himself as he looked through the cupboards and dragged out the rice. ‘He likes to tease me…’ she thought, an affectionate smile gracing her as she watched him digging through the cupboards. ‘He’s wrong though, I think I tell him because he does listen. I would probably tell him my entire life story if I started babbling enough. He’d listen…he’d remember everything. He always remembers everything…’
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
‘They are just disgusting,’ Rin thought, staring through a crack in the hallway door that lead into the kitchen. Watching the pair as they prepared dinner, the couple had obviously fallen hard for each other again. Though, to Rin, it felt like she was witnessing the start of a train wreak watching the casual flirting between them. ’How stupid is everyone? I can’t believe no one is fighting against this! It’s just going to be worse for them this time if Akito finds out!’
"You shouldn't spy, it's not polite."
Eyes narrowing, Isuzu glared at the ground in disgust. "I don't understand you. You've done a lot of stupid things in my life, but this, by far, is the stupidest." Angry at having her hiding spot discovered, she slid out of the narrow opening and turned in the direction of her room.
"Maybe so," Kazuma chuckled, lifting a hand to the back of his neck, rubbing lightly near the base. "I haven't regretted a moment of it though. Hopefully that streak will continue."
Taking a deep breath, Rin clenched her hands into fists and slowly turned toward Kazuma. Anger raged through her, what he was doing was too dangerous. "Why would you risk it? He has his freedom, isn't that enough? Why can't you just leave her alone?" A burning within made her lift her hands to her eyes, palms pressing deeply to cease the wetness. "If he...if he...it's too risky. You aren't just risking memories anymore."
"I know," Kazuma answered quietly. "There is a part of me that is being very selfish, even with a reprieve I still want more for him. I sometimes wonder if I am doing the right thing, so I ask myself one question. 'What would she want?'"
'Because Kyou-kun is the most important thing to me.'
Isuzu clenched her eyes shut, a stabbing pain in her chest accompanying the memory. "She's stupid...so stupid..." One arm lowering to slide over her stomach protectively, Rin wiped the wetness from her face with the remaining hand. "It won't happen...we tried and it never happened. I can't agree with what you're doing."
"There are rumors that the curse is breaking down," Kazuma said calmly, giving her a gentle smile. "I've even heard rumors...that some spirits have broken."
'That's not...I would have known!' Eyes widening, Rin stared at the elder Sohma with a mixture of fear and hope in her eyes. 'If that's true...If...' A shaking hand lifting to her mouth, Rin tried to settle the excitement that had overcome her. 'Haru...please...oh please...'
"If it's true, having these two torn apart without putting enough pressure on his bond with Akito..." Kazuma gave a sad smile as he looked to the door the two teens stood behind, unaware of the conversation mere feet away. "He wouldn't have the strength to fight it without her there. If there was another way I could think of that would keep her out of it, I’m sure that’s what he’d want me to do. He doesn’t stand a chance without her though. I don’t have a choice.”
“She isn’t anything special,” she spat, knowing she didn’t believe the words herself. Though Tohru was what one would consider ‘normal’, there was a part of her that made her above and beyond others-something spectacular. A heart that could heal almost everyone around her, it wasn’t a wonder that Kazuma had decided to put his faith in the girl yet again. “What makes you think that this time will be different?”
“My choice has nothing to do with their feelings,” Kazuma answered, surprising Rin with the answer. “I just consider that an added bonus. I know it might not make sense to some of you, putting her in danger like this again but it really can’t be helped. It wouldn’t work without her. There is something Kyou needs from her that he can’t get from any other person alive in this world.”
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Rin growled, halting in her tirade as the door they’d been standing next to slid open. Panic rolled through the uma, whipping around to see her crimson eyed cousin looking just as surprised to see them as she felt.
“Uh…dinner…is done,” Kyou stumbled, looking between them with confusion before turning back to the kitchen.
Kazuma gave her a smile as he turned to follow his son, “Why don’t you let Haru know so he can get something to eat if he wants.”
Looking past Kazuma into the kitchen, Rin watched as Tohru smiled at Kyou, dishing out a large portion of rice for the neko. Shaking her head, Isuzu turned away from the scene, feeling her stomach roll in upset as she stormed toward her room. It wasn’t surprising to find Haru lounging on her bed playing a videogame. He rarely spent any time at his own house these days, so he’d brought over what he’d deemed his ‘essentials’ to Kazuma’s. “Supposedly dinner is done…”
Looking up, Haru gave her a smile as he paused his game and tossed the controller on the floor. “Where’d you go?” he asked, rolling to his side to slide his feet off the bed. Stretching slightly, Haru got to his feet as Rin switched places on the bed with him. “Did you want something to eat?”
Shaking her head in the negative, she knew he’d bring something back for her anyway. That was part of who he was, Haru was kind, gentle, and had the tendency to care for everyone around him. ‘I've even heard rumors...that some spirits have broken.’ Watching as he headed for the door, Rin couldn’t help the sense of panic that assaulted her at the reminder. It wasn’t him, she knew that but…she wanted it to be. She’d give up her own freedom for him to obtain his own if she’d had it.
“I’ll be right back,” he said, seemingly oblivious to her turmoil. Watching him leave, Rin couldn’t help wondering who Kazuma had heard that from. Things had been really strange lately within the family. The entire experience with Tohru and Kyou had seemed to shake up everyone, even her own relationship with Haru had taken some healing to get back to the place it had been before the incident.
‘Had she known how close she was?’ She’d been angry with the younger girl at first, felt abandoned by Tohru’s actions. To do all that she’d done for Kyou, just didn’t seem worth it to Isuzu. She knew how Tohru felt, but she could have continued fighting even after Kyou was gone. To willingly do that to herself, she had to have known what she was risking by trying to go against Akito. If she hadn’t come after Kyou, Akito probably wouldn’t have requested it and Tohru could have continued her goal without the god’s interference.
“Ah…I haven’t had Honda-san’s cooking in forever,” Haru commented, sliding the door open as he returned to the room. Closing it behind him, he settled next to her on the bed, holding out a small bowl to her. Without commenting, Rin took a bite from the proffered chopsticks before letting out a gentle sigh. “What’s wrong?”
“Um…Kazuma said something to me that left me thinking,” she started, not sure how approach the subject. Things had been good for them this last year, but she hadn’t been as active in her attempts to break the curse since her experience in the cat room and getting back together with Haru. Tohru on the other hand, hadn’t stopped looking and Rin never did tell her what had happened to her during her disappearance…which made her wonder if there were things Tohru hadn’t told her. “Actually, it’s sort of backing up something Gure-nii said to me once before, that maybe the curse is breaking on it’s own. Kazuma seems to believe that there have been zodiacs that have already broken their bonds.”
The silence seemed to last forever, Rin hadn’t realized she’d been clenching onto the silver band surrounding his wrist until he removed her hand and gently gripped it. “I guess it’s possible,” he said quietly, looking thoughtful as he stared at his rice. “If anyone would know, I don’t know why it wouldn’t be Shihan. He’s in a position most people aren’t, neither cursed but surrounded by those that are. Do you think it’s true?”
“I’m not…sure,” she answered, afraid to delve too deep into the subject with him. “I don’t know what to think. Things have been…strange…lately. I can’t even think about…”
“Do you want to look into it?”
Blinking, she lifted her chin to look at him in disbelief. “I…I…I don’t know,” she admitted, afraid it might upset him if he thought she wanted to start doing all of this stuff again. The last time it had almost destroyed the both of them and-
“Well…I don’t think it would hurt to dig around a little. If Shihan thinks something is up, there might just be. He wouldn’t just say it…”
Eyes wide, Rin stared at her boyfriend in confusion. “You mean…together?”
“I told you I’d never let you do things on your own again. I won’t let you do this alone.” Lifting the chopsticks to her mouth again, Haru gave her a smile as the edges of her vision blurred. “Now eat or you won’t have the strength to keep up with me.”
I do not own Fruits Basket or the characters affiliated with the Manga and Anime. They are the property of Natsuki Takaya…I am just ‘borrowing’ them for my own nefarious deeds. I own nothing, suing me won’t help anyone.
Sari-15
Solace
Chapter Ten
Chewing on her lower lip, Tohru absentmindedly turned the fish over in the pan. 'That was...um...I don't really understand.' The crashing noises from the room down the hall had quieted, which seemed to settle Tohru's rapidly beating heart at the same time. Still, the sudden attack had shaken her a bit and it was taking awhile for her to concentrate on the things she needed to do. 'Just don't burn Shishou-san and Kyou-kun's dinner!' Determined to refocus her attention, Tohru found her eyes flickering to the doorway again instead of the dinner she was preparing.
"They haven't ever really gotten along," Kazuma said, breaking the silence in the room with a gentle chuckle. "When they were children they used to have these glaring matches, neither one moving for ten minutes at a time or so. Even if it was for a few minutes, it was nice to get a break from Kyou's enthusiastic energy for a short time."
"Oh...Eh?" Eyes shifting away from the doorway and back to Kazuma with surprise, Tohru blinked once before looking over at Kyou as he sat slumped at the table.
"Glaring isn't the same as attempting to maim someone, Shishou!" Kyou growled, looking over his shoulder to his foster father. "What the hell was that all about? I didn't do a damn thing to her!"
"Can I get a glass of water?" Tohru's head whipped back around to the doorway, caught off guard by the voice that had entered the kitchen. Hatsuharu leaned against the doorway, eyes apparently surveying the small group from where he stood. "Maybe some crackers too...see if I can get her to eat a few of them."
"Of course," Kazuma replied, moving to the refrigerator to get a water from within it as Haru headed to the cabinet for the crackers.
"Um...I can make more if the two of you are hungry," Tohru added, mentally calculating things she could do to make the food go further. "We wouldn't mind if you were to join us."
"Yes, we would," Kyou chimed in, making Tohru wince as he dropped his head to the table in frustration.
"Ah...well...she won't eat in front of anyone else. If you leave some for us, I'm sure she'll eat it though," Haru said, pulling the rice crackers down from their place. Turning back around, he made his way across the room and paused next to Kyou. "Nice dodge, you've improved."
"I didn't dodge!" Kyou growled, bringing his head up as he turned around to glare at his cousin. "Your girlfriend has horrible aim."
"Hmm...maybe she meant to miss you..." Haru shrugged, making Tohru think the entire encounter was over as he took the bottle of water from Kazuma and headed for the entryway. "Anyway...It smells like your girlfriend is a great cook. I'm looking forward to the meal, Honda-san."
"Eh? I...err...I..." the spatula slipped through her fingers and clattered onto the counter.
'Girlfriend?' She could feel the rush of heat as her cheeks flushed, hands fumbling to grasp the utensil back in her hands. It took a moment to get control of the item, her heart pounding rapidly in her chest. "I'm not...I..."
"She's...She's not my girlfriend!" Pressing the spatula to her chest, Tohru didn't dare look at Kyou as he vehemently denied the claim. 'It's true. I'm not, I never even thought about something like that. But why does hearing him say it, hurt?' Staring into the pan, she watched the edges of fish as the small amount of liquid bubbled around it, trying to forget about the clenching in her chest. Blinking her eyes, the telltale warning of impending tears prickled, making her clench them shut as she willed them away. 'It's really silly to get upset about.'
"Would you like a hand with something?" Lids flickering open, Tohru turned to the voice, giving Kazuma a wide smile. She hesitated, not really wanting to reject his offer, but she'd already seen his attempt with the fish. It would be rude to refuse him in his own kitchen...
"Don't touch anything, Shishou." Kyou cut in, getting to his feet from the table. Tohru noticed that Hatsuharu had left again, leaving the three of them alone as they'd been before. "Why don't you go find something else to do? If she needs help, I can help her."
"I can at least manage the rice...I think."
"No, you can't," Kyou said, placing a hand on his father's shoulder and steering him toward the entryway. "I've eaten your rice and wouldn't force her to try it. Go catch up on one of Shigure's books or something until it's done."
A smile slowly crossed Tohru's face watching the two of them, surprised at the tight bond they held. She knew Kazuma wasn't Kyou's real father, but they obviously had a relationship that was much tighter than most children had with their parents. It kind of reminded her of the one she'd had with her own mother. 'I wonder...I wonder what my relationship with my dad would have been like if he'd lived...' For a long time, that was something she wouldn't dare think about, but watching the two of them...
"Hey...what's wrong? You're spacing out again."
"Eh? I'm sorry!" Eyes wide, Tohru hadn't heard him approach and his voice suddenly appearing next to her startled her. Turning toward him, Kyou was lounged against the counter looking at her thoughtfully. "I was just thinking...or rather...um..." She gave a smile giggle, unsure of how to voice her thoughts. "Your relationship with Shishou-san, you are very lucky. Not everyone has that type of a relationship with a parent."
The embarrassment that filtered through his complexion, turning it scarlet, came as a surprise to Tohru. "I'm sorry! Maybe I shouldn't have said anything!" she replied, whipping back to focus on the fish. "I just...It's..."
"No, it's okay...really," he replied, voice strained as he coughed into his hand. "I just didn't expect you to say that is all. Kunimitsu, that's Shishou's assistant, he's constantly making fun of us..."
"It's really special, is all. It just reminds me of my mom and me. After dad died, we really only had each other and were really close," Frowning, Tohru stared into the pan as a wave of regret flowed through her. "I don't remember much about him... Mom didn't really talk about him. Though...I don't know...I guess lately, I regret never asking her. I could ask Grandpa about him, I'm sure he'd tell me...but it's not really the same. Mom and I...I didn't want her to miss him, so I never brought it up. It was like I thought I was competing with him, which is silly. It wasn't until after she was gone that I wished I'd known more...err…” Glancing up, Tohru could feel her cheeks flush deeply as her voice trailed off.
“I’m sorry…I don’t really know why I am telling you this,” she quickly added, waving the whole conversation off with a flick of her wrist. Turning back to her fish, Tohru focused on cooking dinner and trying to calm her suddenly shaking hands. “I…I…don’t normally…talk about…”
“It’s okay,” Kyou said, giving her a gentle smile. “I don’t mind, really.”
“I…I…don’t…never…um…I…” clenching her eyes shut, the tears had suddenly prickled to life. “I don’t…I…why?”
“Hey! Hey!” Flinching as a hand shot to the top of her head, Tohru rubbed an eye with one of her fists as she tried to wipe away the moisture. “What’s with the tears all the sudden?”
“I…don’t know…” Tohru said, burying her face in her hands as she took a deep breath. “I just haven’t ever said that to anyone before…competing with him. I don’t even know why I said it to you.”
“I dunno…I’ve gotten used to your babbling these past few weeks. You could probably tell me your entire life story and I wouldn’t be paying attention enough to actually hear it,” Kyou gave her a smile, trailing his hand from her head down her to her cheek as she gave a nervous giggle. Wiping away a stray patch of wetness from beneath her eye with his thumb, he leaned down with a serious expression until he was almost at eye level. “Don’t burn the fish or you’re no better than Shishou.”
‘The fish?...Oh! The fish!’ Mouth dropping open, Tohru swung back around to her pan in an attempt to save the meal. To her surprise, it wasn’t near burning in the least. Turning back to her companion, he chuckled to himself as he looked through the cupboards and dragged out the rice. ‘He likes to tease me…’ she thought, an affectionate smile gracing her as she watched him digging through the cupboards. ‘He’s wrong though, I think I tell him because he does listen. I would probably tell him my entire life story if I started babbling enough. He’d listen…he’d remember everything. He always remembers everything…’
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
‘They are just disgusting,’ Rin thought, staring through a crack in the hallway door that lead into the kitchen. Watching the pair as they prepared dinner, the couple had obviously fallen hard for each other again. Though, to Rin, it felt like she was witnessing the start of a train wreak watching the casual flirting between them. ’How stupid is everyone? I can’t believe no one is fighting against this! It’s just going to be worse for them this time if Akito finds out!’
"You shouldn't spy, it's not polite."
Eyes narrowing, Isuzu glared at the ground in disgust. "I don't understand you. You've done a lot of stupid things in my life, but this, by far, is the stupidest." Angry at having her hiding spot discovered, she slid out of the narrow opening and turned in the direction of her room.
"Maybe so," Kazuma chuckled, lifting a hand to the back of his neck, rubbing lightly near the base. "I haven't regretted a moment of it though. Hopefully that streak will continue."
Taking a deep breath, Rin clenched her hands into fists and slowly turned toward Kazuma. Anger raged through her, what he was doing was too dangerous. "Why would you risk it? He has his freedom, isn't that enough? Why can't you just leave her alone?" A burning within made her lift her hands to her eyes, palms pressing deeply to cease the wetness. "If he...if he...it's too risky. You aren't just risking memories anymore."
"I know," Kazuma answered quietly. "There is a part of me that is being very selfish, even with a reprieve I still want more for him. I sometimes wonder if I am doing the right thing, so I ask myself one question. 'What would she want?'"
'Because Kyou-kun is the most important thing to me.'
Isuzu clenched her eyes shut, a stabbing pain in her chest accompanying the memory. "She's stupid...so stupid..." One arm lowering to slide over her stomach protectively, Rin wiped the wetness from her face with the remaining hand. "It won't happen...we tried and it never happened. I can't agree with what you're doing."
"There are rumors that the curse is breaking down," Kazuma said calmly, giving her a gentle smile. "I've even heard rumors...that some spirits have broken."
'That's not...I would have known!' Eyes widening, Rin stared at the elder Sohma with a mixture of fear and hope in her eyes. 'If that's true...If...' A shaking hand lifting to her mouth, Rin tried to settle the excitement that had overcome her. 'Haru...please...oh please...'
"If it's true, having these two torn apart without putting enough pressure on his bond with Akito..." Kazuma gave a sad smile as he looked to the door the two teens stood behind, unaware of the conversation mere feet away. "He wouldn't have the strength to fight it without her there. If there was another way I could think of that would keep her out of it, I’m sure that’s what he’d want me to do. He doesn’t stand a chance without her though. I don’t have a choice.”
“She isn’t anything special,” she spat, knowing she didn’t believe the words herself. Though Tohru was what one would consider ‘normal’, there was a part of her that made her above and beyond others-something spectacular. A heart that could heal almost everyone around her, it wasn’t a wonder that Kazuma had decided to put his faith in the girl yet again. “What makes you think that this time will be different?”
“My choice has nothing to do with their feelings,” Kazuma answered, surprising Rin with the answer. “I just consider that an added bonus. I know it might not make sense to some of you, putting her in danger like this again but it really can’t be helped. It wouldn’t work without her. There is something Kyou needs from her that he can’t get from any other person alive in this world.”
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Rin growled, halting in her tirade as the door they’d been standing next to slid open. Panic rolled through the uma, whipping around to see her crimson eyed cousin looking just as surprised to see them as she felt.
“Uh…dinner…is done,” Kyou stumbled, looking between them with confusion before turning back to the kitchen.
Kazuma gave her a smile as he turned to follow his son, “Why don’t you let Haru know so he can get something to eat if he wants.”
Looking past Kazuma into the kitchen, Rin watched as Tohru smiled at Kyou, dishing out a large portion of rice for the neko. Shaking her head, Isuzu turned away from the scene, feeling her stomach roll in upset as she stormed toward her room. It wasn’t surprising to find Haru lounging on her bed playing a videogame. He rarely spent any time at his own house these days, so he’d brought over what he’d deemed his ‘essentials’ to Kazuma’s. “Supposedly dinner is done…”
Looking up, Haru gave her a smile as he paused his game and tossed the controller on the floor. “Where’d you go?” he asked, rolling to his side to slide his feet off the bed. Stretching slightly, Haru got to his feet as Rin switched places on the bed with him. “Did you want something to eat?”
Shaking her head in the negative, she knew he’d bring something back for her anyway. That was part of who he was, Haru was kind, gentle, and had the tendency to care for everyone around him. ‘I've even heard rumors...that some spirits have broken.’ Watching as he headed for the door, Rin couldn’t help the sense of panic that assaulted her at the reminder. It wasn’t him, she knew that but…she wanted it to be. She’d give up her own freedom for him to obtain his own if she’d had it.
“I’ll be right back,” he said, seemingly oblivious to her turmoil. Watching him leave, Rin couldn’t help wondering who Kazuma had heard that from. Things had been really strange lately within the family. The entire experience with Tohru and Kyou had seemed to shake up everyone, even her own relationship with Haru had taken some healing to get back to the place it had been before the incident.
‘Had she known how close she was?’ She’d been angry with the younger girl at first, felt abandoned by Tohru’s actions. To do all that she’d done for Kyou, just didn’t seem worth it to Isuzu. She knew how Tohru felt, but she could have continued fighting even after Kyou was gone. To willingly do that to herself, she had to have known what she was risking by trying to go against Akito. If she hadn’t come after Kyou, Akito probably wouldn’t have requested it and Tohru could have continued her goal without the god’s interference.
“Ah…I haven’t had Honda-san’s cooking in forever,” Haru commented, sliding the door open as he returned to the room. Closing it behind him, he settled next to her on the bed, holding out a small bowl to her. Without commenting, Rin took a bite from the proffered chopsticks before letting out a gentle sigh. “What’s wrong?”
“Um…Kazuma said something to me that left me thinking,” she started, not sure how approach the subject. Things had been good for them this last year, but she hadn’t been as active in her attempts to break the curse since her experience in the cat room and getting back together with Haru. Tohru on the other hand, hadn’t stopped looking and Rin never did tell her what had happened to her during her disappearance…which made her wonder if there were things Tohru hadn’t told her. “Actually, it’s sort of backing up something Gure-nii said to me once before, that maybe the curse is breaking on it’s own. Kazuma seems to believe that there have been zodiacs that have already broken their bonds.”
The silence seemed to last forever, Rin hadn’t realized she’d been clenching onto the silver band surrounding his wrist until he removed her hand and gently gripped it. “I guess it’s possible,” he said quietly, looking thoughtful as he stared at his rice. “If anyone would know, I don’t know why it wouldn’t be Shihan. He’s in a position most people aren’t, neither cursed but surrounded by those that are. Do you think it’s true?”
“I’m not…sure,” she answered, afraid to delve too deep into the subject with him. “I don’t know what to think. Things have been…strange…lately. I can’t even think about…”
“Do you want to look into it?”
Blinking, she lifted her chin to look at him in disbelief. “I…I…I don’t know,” she admitted, afraid it might upset him if he thought she wanted to start doing all of this stuff again. The last time it had almost destroyed the both of them and-
“Well…I don’t think it would hurt to dig around a little. If Shihan thinks something is up, there might just be. He wouldn’t just say it…”
Eyes wide, Rin stared at her boyfriend in confusion. “You mean…together?”
“I told you I’d never let you do things on your own again. I won’t let you do this alone.” Lifting the chopsticks to her mouth again, Haru gave her a smile as the edges of her vision blurred. “Now eat or you won’t have the strength to keep up with me.”
I do not own Fruits Basket or the characters affiliated with the Manga and Anime. They are the property of Natsuki Takaya…I am just ‘borrowing’ them for my own nefarious deeds. I own nothing, suing me won’t help anyone.
Sari-15