Idly Watching
By: Illia Sadri
Disclaimer: Fruits Basket doesn't belong to me in any way. If I did I could make a lot more money doing this.
Author Notes: Well I wanted to do something a little more lighthearted and optimistic to counter the ever growing darkness of my Return to the Cage fic and my writers block concerning my Gatekeepers fic in progress as both seem to be taking really dark nosedives. I rather have one like this which starts a little sad but shows a somewhat optimistic ending.
But basically I wanted to kinda explore the relationship between Yuki and Haru. Kinda the idea of exploring exactly where Haru's affection stems from beyond the brief instance where Haru is told that he is not stupid. However this is not yaoi. Heck they are somewhere around 11 years old at this point and are just a tad young to really be in a romantic relationship. And honestly, I look at the series and I am sorry but while Yuki is very effeminate in his manners and appearance, he is pretty blatantly straight.
He was vaguely aware of where he was. He knew he had seen this hallway sometime before but as always he could never seem to place exactly where it headed. Whenever he tried to place himself it would all blur together.
They called him dumb for it. He was a dumb cow who couldn't remember something after a matter of minutes. They laughed at him thinking much like his memory of directions, it would go in one ear and out the other with no consequence.
Of course it was those people who reprimanded him for his black personality when he simply could not endure the taunts anymore.
It hurt, wandering the hallways, confused as always. The cow wished that he had grabbed someone to lead him to the bathroom but the pride that came with his black mode kept him from dare being civil to anyone else.
Suddenly the fog in his head cleared for a moment as he realized he was in a rather dark room. It seemed to be fairly empty, and there were no windows. He was about ready to turn back when his ears picked up on a soft voice.
"Please stop." it said. "I'll be good, I promise"
The cow looked over to a corner where he could barely make out the contours of someone hunched on the floor, the slight light from the open door providing just enough illumination to create a shadow around it. He slowly walked toward the figure and put a small hand on the smooth silk of a kimono.
Quickly the mass heaped on the hard mats of the barren room backed away, more upon instinct then free will. "Please stop it." he cried again, pulling himself further into the corner.
"Yuki…" his companion trailed off. It was obvious that Akito had seen the need to punish the rat again. He had heard it mentioned before at the annual New Year's get together of the Sohma family, but he never remained at the main house long enough to see it first hand. In fact it wasn't so long ago that he finally had been able to let go of his own grudge because of the fable between the rat and the ox.
Now he was seeing what it was like for the rat. It was so easy to presume that the rat, who was seemingly so perfect, suffered from a curse much like he and the others. It was not like he was on a pedestal that he couldn't touch. That pedestal has been a cage all along.
"Mom, Dad… hold me please." the soft whimpering continued between ragged coughs. "Big Brother…"
He wasn't sure what to do. He wasn't sure how long he had been standing there watching as he was so prone to do. He couldn't even find his own way to the bathroom much less know how to deal with his frightened and pained cousin.
So he sat down next to him placed his arms around his older cousin, drawing his head up from the floor so it rested in his chest. He could offer that one comfort without error. Even the most stupid of creatures can offer some affection. "It's okay."
Sticky fluid quickly was felt on the cow's clothes, but he remained still with the small boy. His body was also too warm and he was coughing repeatedly. Hatori should be fetched but he didn't feel like letting go.
He had stopped hating Yuki on that day two years ago when the words he so wanted to hear was spoken to him by the one person he thought was responsible. He wasn't a fool. He wasn't stupid. But now, holding the mouse in his arms in such an affectionate manner he felt something else. Maybe he loved the 'mean rat' despite their curse.
"Big brother… stay with me." Yuki croaked out before going into another coughing bit. His violet eyes could be seen, reflecting off the single sliver of light offered, a slight sparkle remaining through his near delirium. "Don't let Akito hurt me anymore."
Nobody could stop Akito. It was best for those like the ox who was simply ignored as they were not subjected to the special treatment. He couldn't offer Yuki that singular promise to stop the pain.
He could only continue to hold him and ease what remained of the pain. He could hold him in his arms until he felt better. Until it finally stopped hurting.
Yuki reaches up to his companion's face, leaving a slightly wet streak where his fingers brush. It wasn't obvious in the dim light but it almost seemed that he was smiling. His body weight shifted slightly, his body falling deeper in the chest of his comrade. His small, delicate hand intertwined with the other's and he relaxed as he allowed himself to fall asleep.
The cow merely sat nearby and kept watch, unwilling to let go in that dark room.
"I love you Yuki, I love you so much." he whispered. "Don't cry. I will try to make you happy, I promise."
No reply came from the feverish boy as he continued to sleep, the raspy breaths dominating the moments of silence.
"Even if you don't love me back, I'll be here."