Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket. Never did, never will, unless Takaya-sensei is feeling awful generous. Though if you ask me, there are a few things I would like to... ah... edit.. here and there... (like Akito's life, for example... He/she/it would have been dead a long, long, looooong time ago if it were up to me and... All right, I'll stop.)
Spoiler Warning: Furuba Chapter 97 and probably beyond - perhaps to Chapter 105.
Rainy Day
It was pouring outside.
The rain was coming down in rivulets, freezing the ground, and the gray clouds made the sky so dark that it was hard to believe the sun was still shining above all that dreariness.
The mood in the honke was likewise dark and dreary.
The servants stood at hand wordlessly. Akito had fallen ill once again (it is merely the weather, or so Hatori said), adding extra anxiety to the already tense atmosphere of the Sohma main house. The hassenchi had put Akito on a mild sedative, but there was no telling when the Sohma head would open "his" eyes and throw a fit of delirium. Everything about Akito was unpredictable these days, after all, and it would not do well to vex "him." The only person "he" trusted to be by "his" side these days was the beloved Rooster.
Right now, however...
Kureno Sohma stared at the scrap of paper in his hand.
At the moment he couldn't decide whether or not to curse the Honda girl for putting him in such a dilemma.
Admittedly, he was not being fair. It really wasn't the girl's fault, as she seemed to genuinely care about her friend. It made sense that she worried about her.
It was his choice; whether he threw the tiny scrap out or not was entirely up to him.
But he hadn't thrown it away.
He couldn't.
And so he had been sitting in front of his desk staring at the innocent little scrap for God knows how long.
God. Ha, ha.
Akito would be angry if she knew what he was holding onto right now. Angry that he had even accepted anything the "dreadful girl" had offered. And she would be absolutely livid if she were to find out what her "favorite" Jyuunishi was thinking about right now.
And yet for the life of him he still couldn't bring himself to throw it away, the one link that he had between him and her being stubbornly... well, stubborn, so that it refused to be severed.
In the end, it wasn't a choice he could make.
He had met her only twice before; once in the supermarket, where they had spent only about a minute in each other's presence, and once when she had found him in the middle of the street and chased after him for at least two blocks. That incident had led to one lost shirt button and lunch together. He supposed it was a date in a way.
She had wanted to eat noodles, and since it was his treat she had lugged him to the nearest noodle house.
It was the first time he ever visited a noodle house.
In all honesty, he had never been to any restaurant before, save for the really expensive ones with food costing a sum that would make a normal salaryman balk (seeing as how it would be half his monthly paycheck just to get in and eat). He didn't mind. The food at honke was just fine - better than most restaurants', anyway.
Lunch had started out well enough. They had struck up a decent conversation, finding out each other's name and age, occupation, et cetera. But then when he began to talk about himself - aside from the basic introductory things, that is - she suddenly seemed to grow very angry. Well, frustrated was more like it.
She had run out into the streets after her outburst, and he had followed her after throwing down a few bills to cover their check. My, but the girl had a remarkable set of legs - he had to run after her for a block and a half before finally managing to catch up with her.
She... intrigued him. Even when they met the first time at her job, she had laughed so loudly, so clearly, so brightly, that he had wanted to see her again. And... he was glad when he saw her... when she saw him. For a moment he had felt a pang of joy at the fact that there was someone who cared enough to run after him for two blocks, just to talk to him. Perhaps it was a small thing, but up until then it was not something he had experienced before, in all his twenty six years of life as a Sohma.
She really was an amazing creature though. One moment she was crying, then the next she was laughing, and what was more, he was laughing with her, really, truly laughing.
Another first.
He had wanted to kiss her then. Wanted to kiss her now. Wanted to hold her.
Wanted to see her.
How pathetic. He had told Hatsuharu to go to Rin, and yet he couldn't bring up enough courage to take his own advice.
She misses you a lot.
His fingers curled into a fist around the piece of paper in his hand.
He hadn't thought to call her. Instead, he ran through the rain, all the way from the house to her home. He got lost only once. Twice. All right, maybe a few times. He had an excuse; he had never been outside of the honke much save for going to school. It was a miracle he even managed to get to her house in less than two hours. By that time he was soaked and dripping wet. He didn't care.
He had to see her.
His chest felt oddly constricted as he gathered up the courage to ring her doorbell.
What if she wasn't home?
What if she refused to open the door?
What if she was too angry to even talk to him?
He grit his teeth. Taking a deep breath, he rang the doorbell.
If she wasn't home, he would wait.
If she refused to open the door, he would wait.
If she was too angry to talk to him, he would -
Click.
The door opened.
She stood there in front of him, all blonde hair and beauty, gaping at him like a fish out of the water.
He hadn't really expected her to fling herself in his arms crying. He hadn't really expected her to absolutely glow in happiness at the first sight of him either. Then again he really hadn't expected her to greet him with a punch to the jaw.
Which was just what she did.
He gingerly touched the newly sore spot on his jaw and winced. Damn, but the girl had a mean left hook.
He supposed he deserved it.
He looked up from his spot on the ground, staring at her as she glared down at him with a fury that (dare he say it?) matched Akito's. He probably would have been afraid had it not been for the rush of relief that suddenly washed over him.
Even he hadn't known he had been this bad off.
Now he didn't know how he had survived.
"Hey," was all he could utter out, and though he was careful in gathering it, his voice came out hoarse. Choked. Broken.
And then there she was, her knees giving out and collapsing in front of him as she broke down and cried.
Carefully, he pulled her towards him.
She didn't resist.
They were both soaked now, but he couldn't care less. Never before in his life had he been so grateful that he could hold someone in his arms. He hadn't seen it really as a blessing, despite the fact that some of the Jyuunishi might well kill, or at least maim, or perhaps take some other course of action due to their various (and bizarre) personalities, for such a privilege.
Now, though, he could understand how they felt. To be able to hold someone and not be afraid of scaring that person off...
"...you?"
He looked down in his arms. She was glaring at him again, but the anger was gone from her eyes.
"What took you?" she repeated. He merely smiled before burying his face in her shoulder. She didn't seem to mind. They stayed that way for several minutes, he nuzzling her shoulder and she relaxing into his strong body, before she pulled away.
"Talk," she ordered. He sighed.
"Now."
I wanted to see you again.
"I wanted to see you again."
She seemed to be quite taken aback at that. She stared. She blushed. She ducked her head.
God, but she was beautiful.
"Embarrassed?" he teased softly, and the next second a fist came flying out of nowhere. He was prepared this time though, and caught it before it made impact with his chest. He pulled her in for another embrace.
"...I'm still mad at you," she muttered, her words muffled against his chest. He chuckled and pulled back slightly to gaze down at her. Her face was even redder than before, but somehow she was managing to look at him square in the eye. He smiled again.
And he kissed her.
Fin
Author's Note: It's not very good, but it will do. I only have 1 - 12 of the manga in my possession, and I only skimmed the rest (some I have been unable to read altogether). I think this will remain a oneshot, despite the fact that I am still on some kind of Kureno x Arisa roll right now. Maybe I'll add another chapter to this... But for the moment at least, it's going to stay a oneshot. Reviews are welcome. Flames will be used to burn Akito alive.