Author's Note: This is an AU on how Tohru and Natsuno met at a much younger age. Eight years later, Tohru still remembers the city boy who had shown him kindness that day.
Innocent Beginnings
Natsuno Yuuki/Koide, the boy was never fond of his first name. Even his classmates simply called him Yuuki. He was a smart kid, and pretty good at sports, for a seven-year old. All he had ever known had been the city life, but he was sort of a lone wolf. Not fond of his parents' way of doing things, he tried to distance himself from others. Of course, he had a few friends, but none that were really close. He didn't care though, he preferred it that way.
Natsuno had been out to the ball field with a group of kids from school that afternoon and was on his way home. The blue-so-dark-it-was-almost-purple haired boy, was heading home, happily swinging his bat. He'd won the game for his team. Suddenly, he heard a cry from one of the alley ways. He stopped and looked, a group of bigger boys were teasing another. The blonde boy who was being victimized couldn't have been very much older than Natsuno, but the boys picking on him were much bigger. They were pushing the scrawny boy around, and demanding any cash he might have on him.
Natsuno sighed and gave his bat one good twirl and took it up in both hands ready to swing it if need be. "Hey!?" He got their attention, the group of five turned and looked at him. "Why don't you pick on somebody your own size?" Natsuno couldn't believe he'd just said something so cliché.
"What, you mean like you?" the leader of the bullies asked. The kids approached Natsuno. He put up a fight, striking every one of them with his bat, and when the bat was no longer proving useful, he went at them with his bare hands. They couldn't believe this little kid had just knocked their socks off. He was breathing heavy, his lip a little bloodied from the fight, but he stood between the bullies and the blonde boy his fist raised to continue fighting should they make another advancement. They decided enough was enough and left.
"Wow," Natsuno heard from behind him. He turned to look at the blonde. "You really put them in their place," the boy said, extending his hand to Natsuno. "Thanks a bunch."
Natsuno tucked his hands in his pocket and turned his head. "Don't think anything of it," he answered. He stopped and looked back at the blonde. "How old are you?" The blonde boy blushed a little, rubbing the back of his head. He was embarrassed to admit he was ten. "TEN!?" Natsuno exasperated. "Geeze, be a man next time, you just got your butt saved by a seven year old!"
"And I really do appreciate it," the boy replied. "It's just, I'm not use to the city." Natsuno's dark blue eyes turned back to the blonde, curiously. "I'm from out in the country," the blonde continued. "My father's a clinic director out there. My family's here on business for a few days before summer break ends."
Natsuno sighed, "Oh, so that's it? I don't know how things work out in the country, but here in the city, you can't just sit back and let the bullies pick on you." He turned away from the blonde, picked up his bat and gave it a swing. "You've got to stand up for yourself." He laid the bat against his shoulder and started to walk out of the alley.
"Hey, wait a minute!" the blonde called out, following after him. "They didn't actually manage to get my money, you know? I could buy you an ice cream or something as a thank you."
"No thanks," Natsuno said, "I didn't save you so you could spend your money on me. You keep it."
"Come on, I've got to thank you somehow?" the blonde insisted. "Can you at least tell me your name? Maybe some day I can return the favor."
"I doubt it," Natsuno said, "Didn't you say you were only in town for a few days?" He shifted his eyes to the side and they latched onto the blonde boy. Normally Natsuno would have found someone tagging along with him like this annoying. But he didn't feel that way with this kid, maybe it was because he knew their time together would be short. He sighed, the boy's honey brown eyes looked disappointed at Natsuno's response. "You can call me Yuuki, or Koide, either works. My parents never married," Natsuno answered.
"That's just your last name then, right?" the blonde asked. "That could get a little confusing, what's your first name?"
Natsuno sighed, "Just call me Yuuki, alright? I don't really like my first name."
"Alright then, Yuuki," the boy sighed giving up, "Are you sure you won't let me thank you somehow?"
Natsuno closed his eyes, "If it'll get him to leave me alone," he thought to himself. "Alright, an ice cream, then."
The boys found an ice cream vendor. The blonde bought himself a chocolate cone, and Natsuno got a chocolate and vanilla swirl cone with extra vanilla. As the two boys sat and ate their ice cream cones, the blonde began to talk. Natsuno listened, but not with much interest. For some reason, he was actually enjoying the other boy's company. The cold ice cream felt good against Natsuno's busted lip.
"So…? Yuuki? Is that Yuki as in Snow or Yūki as in Courage?" the blonde boy asked curiously.
"Do I look like a snow fairy to you?" Natsuno asked sarcastically.
The country boy giggled, "Right, Yūki as in Courage it is, then."
During the days that the blonde boy's family had been in town, Natsuno found the boy visiting him on a daily basis. When it came time for the 'country boy' as Natsuno had taken to calling him, since he never bothered to ask the boy's real name, to go home, Natsuno found himself feeling a little sad. This was the first person he'd ever felt comfortable having hang around for more than a few minutes, and now his 'friend' was going to head back home to never be seen again.
The blonde came to say goodbye before leaving, but pushed something into his hand. "Don't look until I'm gone, ok, Yuuki?" the boy asked.
"Why, what is it?" Natsuno asked.
"Just don't, ok, I don't want you trying to make me take it back," the country boy laughed. "I bought one for myself, too, so we could have something to remember each other by. Thanks again, for everything. Maybe we'll see each other again some day?"
"Yeah, maybe," Natsuno said, sticking his hands in his pockets and looking away. There was just something about this boy's eyes that made Natsuno not want to look directly in them, like they were the kind of eyes he just couldn't say 'no' to.
Natsuno watched as the country boy, his parents, and his two seven-year-old siblings (a brother and a sister) climbed onto the bus that would take them back to the country. The boy waved goodbye from the bus. Natsuno waited until the bus was almost out of sight, but finally stuck his hand up in the air and waved. "Stupid," he growled at himself, sticking his hands back into his pocket, "He can't see me waving from that far away. … Huh?" Natsuno felt his hand clench onto something in his pocket. That's right, whatever it was the boy had given him, he hadn't looked yet. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked, it was a small keychain shaped like a panda bear. "Kinda' girly, ain't it?" Natsuno sighed. "Well, it's from him, I guess I may as well keep it." As Natsuno said this, the keychain spun around on it's hanger. On the back, written "夏の勇気". "Summer Courage?" Natsuno read it out loud. He blushed a little. 'Summer Courage, Natsu no Yūki.' Natsuno had never even told the boy his first name, and yet ironically, there it was scribbled on the back of this keepsake as a reminder of what he'd done for him.
Eight years later, Natsuno's family moved out of the city. For whatever reason, Natsuno's father had gotten it in his head that at the age of fifteen, Natsuno needed to suddenly become accustomed to a lifestyle where no one had to lock their doors. Natsuno hated it. Sure, the scenery was beautiful, but there was nothing for him here. Not that he had any close friends he was leaving behind in the city, but he didn't know anyone out in the country town of Sotoba. New classes, new house, new people. It was more than Natsuno cared to deal with, and it didn't take long to realize the people in town were nosy gossipers.
Natsuno spent the first day in the new house shut in his room. He sat his backpack on the bed, the panda keychain was hanging off of it. Some kids in the city had laughed at him about keeping it for the last eight years, but he saw it as a reminder of the good deed he'd done that summer. He would never admit to them that it was a reminder that he had made a friend he missed more than anything, just that he'd helped someone and this was a trinket of thanks. He smiled and playfully thumped it with his finger. "Well, at least I still have you, right?"
"Natsuno," Azusa, his mother, called down the hall, "It's time for dinner, dear."
"Yeah, I'm coming!" Natsuno joined his parents at the table.
The next day, Natsuno had to deal with the kids in town, as he went to his first day of school. He was introduced to his class, and it didn't take long before rumors were circulating there was a new kid from the city.
Tohru Mutou was the school's class clown. About to turn eighteen, the honey blonde boy with honey brown eyes was able make anyone smile, well almost anyone. He didn't believe in strangers. The only one he probably couldn't charm was the fifteen year old Megumi Shimizu, a girl with cotton-candy pink hair and matching eyes. It wasn't Tohru's fault he couldn't charm her. Megumi didn't like anybody in Sotoba, all she ever wanted was to leave the village and go to the big city. Tohru over heard her swooning about the new 'city boy' with eyes and hair so blue they were almost purple during lunch. As soon as he heard Megumi's friend Kaori mention that the boy's parents weren't married, he began scanning the crowd for the new kid.
"Megumi-Chan?" Tohru called out to her.
"What is it, Mutou!?" Megumi snapped.
"Well hello to you, too," Tohru replied indignantly. "I was going to ask you about this new kid. What's his name?"
"He goes by Yuuki-Kun, Tohru-Kun," Kaori replied.
"Is that so?" Tohru asked with a knowing smile. "Say, Kaori-Chan, can you point him out?"
Kaori pointed to where Natsuno was, "Over there with Tamotsu-Chan and Masao," she replied.
Tohru's younger brother Tamotsu was in the same class and had been tasked with showing him around the school. "I see, thank you, Kaori-Chan." Tohru put his hands on the top of his head and walked over to the table. He slipped up behind Tamotsu, put a hand on his kid brother's shoulder, and leaned over snitching a rice ball from the boy's bento box.
"Tohru-Niisan!?" Tamotsu exclaimed, "Mom sent you your own!"
"Mine are already all gone, Tamotsu," Tohru replied. "Scoot over."
"That's no reason to eat mine, too," Tamotsu sighed, "Oh, whatever, no point in arguing with you." Tamotsu nudged Masao and the two boys moved over to let Tohru join them.
"You going to introduce me?" Tohru asked.
"The truth comes out," Tamotsu said, snitching back the rice ball, "You're not here for my food!" Tamotsu popped what was left of the rice ball into his mouth to keep his brother from snatching it back. "Yuuki-Kun," he said after swallowing, "This is my brother Tohru. Tohru, this is Yuuki/Koide-Kun."
"Nice to meet you," Tohru said.
"Uh-huh," Natsuno grunted in between sips of his drink. It was a feeling of déjà vu when Natsuno tried not to look into the blonde teen's eyes. They were the same, those eyes that he just felt he wouldn't be able to say 'no' to.
Tohru tried to think of something to get the 'new kid' to open up and talk. His eyes landed on Natsuno's book satchel, and he smiled. "That's a nice keychain. Looks a little faded, though."
Natsuno's eyes shifted down to look at the panda hanging from his satchel. Unlike the city kids, Tohru didn't sound like he was teasing him for it. "It's a keepsake," Natsuno replied, "A friend gave it to me eight years ago."
Tohru smiled. "So, Yuuki-Kun?" he asked, "How would you like to walk home with us this afternoon, we can show you around town."
Masao let out a "Hmph," apparently he wasn't as excited about the new kid as everyone else.
"No thanks," Natsuno said.
"You sure? I know a great place to get ice cream, it'd be a great way to beat the heat. Plus it'd spare you the annoyance of having to walk with that little admirer of yours over there," Tohru used a motion of his head to discretely point out the pink-haired Shimizu who'd been ogling Natsuno from afar all day.
Natsuno flinched, when he saw her. She really had been staring at him like that all day. "On second thought, I might take you up on that," he said. He wasn't looking to make friends, he wanted to go back to the city. He certainly wasn't looking to make any girlfriends.
After school, Tohru and Tamotsu, joined by their sister Aoi showed Natsuno around the town, as promised. Tohru led the three fifteen year olds into the store and told them to wait while he bought the ice cream. A chocolate cone for himself, chocolate and strawberry swirl for Aoi, a vanilla cone for Tamotsu, and for 'the new kid' a vanilla and chocolate swirl with extra vanilla. Natsuno's second spurt of déjà vu, as Tohru handed him the cone. "How'd you know I'd eat it like this?" Natsuno asked.
"Just a guess," Tohru shrugged with a knowing smile. "You just seem like that kinda' guy."
"Tohru-Niisan's pretty good at reading people," Tamotsu said, "A little too good, sometimes."
"You look pretty strong, Yuuki-Kun, I bet you play baseball, too?" Tohru asked.
Natsuno looked at the blonde curiously and tried not to smile. "I use to," Natsuno said, "I haven't touched a bat in over a year."
"Why not?" Tohru asked.
"Injured my shoulder during a game. My bat was stolen not long after that, when our house was robbed," Natsuno grumbled. Stupid robbers, that was the reason his father chose to move to this backwoods town.
Tohru frowned, sorry to hear that something like that was taken away from him. "That's too bad."
"Hey there, flat tire?" Tohru called out. It was the first Sunday since Natsuno's family had moved into Sotoba. Natsuno was pushing his bike down the road. Just as Tohru observed, the front wheel was flat. "I can help you fix it."
"No thanks," Natsuno said.
Tohru walked over put a hand on the bike, stopping Natsuno from moving. "It'll only take a minute. You know, you never told me your first name?"
Natsuno sighed, as his blue eyes met Tohru's honey brown ones. Those really were eyes a person just couldn't say 'no' to. "Fine, I'll let you fix it, if it means that much to you. But you can forget about learning my first name. I'm not looking to make friends. I intend to leave and move back to the city as soon as I get the chance."
"That's too bad," Tohru said as he filled a bucket full of water, "A place like this isn't so bad once you get use to it." Tohru stuck the bike tire inside the bucket and started threading it through, looking for the puncture. "You might want to get your parents to get you a repair kit from the store. These roads can be pretty dangerous for bikes sometimes."
"Yeah, ok," Natsuno said.
"So, nobody knows your name then?" Tohru asked.
"Yuuki, or Koide, either works, either's fine," Natsuno said.
That was the answer Tohru was expecting. "That's right, your parents aren't married, are they? But calling you by your last name could get confusing, I'd rather call you by your first name."
Déjà vu city with this guy. "Just call me Yuuki," Natsuno growled. "Thanks for the help."
"So…? Yuuki? Is that Yuki as in Snow or Yūki as in Courage?" Tohru asked.
"Do I look like a snow fairy to you?" Natsuno asked sarcastically. Natsuno blinked and looked back at Tohru, as if he already knew what was coming next.
Tohru giggled, "Right, Yūki as in Courage it is, then." Tohru smiled mischievously as he added, "Your eyes and hair are too dark of a blue for snow, anyway."
A week passed and Natsuno found himself at the door of the Moutu household again, with another flat. Tohru answered the door. "Another flat? What you don't know how to use a repair kit?" he teased.
Natsuno looked away. "Shut up. It's just I haven't had the chance to buy one yet."
Tohru smiled and helped Natsuno with the bike wheel again. "You know, it's getting late, how'd you like to stay for dinner?"
"I wouldn't like to impose," Natsuno said.
"No, you wouldn't be," Tohru said. "There we go, all fixed. By the way, I did some digging around." Tohru chuckled. "Your name? I asked your parents." He smiled and pointed his finger at the blue-haired boy, sort of snapping his fingers, and winking. The way he said it, "Natsuno!" it sounded so cool, and just rolled off his tongue. No one had ever said it in a way that made Natsuno like the sound of it before. There was almost some hero worship in the tone. Tohru smiled. "Are you sure you don't wanna' come in for dinner?"
Natsuno tried not to smile, but failed in the attempt. Those really were eyes he couldn't say 'no' to. "Alright," Natsuno accepted, following Tohru inside. "But I'll have to call my parents and let them know."
"Sure, no problem," Tohru nodded.
After dinner, Tohru invited Natsuno to join him and Tamotsu upstairs for some TV or video games. Natsuno agreed to hang out, but didn't bother with the games. Tohru let Natsuno have the bed, while he and Tamotsu settled in the floor. Tohru smiled, looking back at Natsuno, who had at some point stretched out across the bed with a magazine. "Natsuno?"
"Don't call me that?" Natsuno sighed, even though he really did like the way it sounded when Tohru said it. "… Yeah?"
"Don't take this the wrong way, but I can't help noticing the way you're built. You said you use to play baseball, I guess that's why you look so strong. But, the way you're laid out like that… I can't help thinking you make a really comfy body pillow." Torhu giggled as Tamotsu rolled his eyes at his older brother's childish comment.
Natsuno blushed at the mere thought and shook his head. Rather than get angry, though, he looked at Tamotsu. "Is he always like this?"
Tamotsu smirked. "Yeah, that's Tohru-Niisan for you," he nodded. "He's only serious about food and playing games."
This remark earned Tamotsu a smack upside the back of the head with a pillow. "Don't talk about me like I'm not here," Tohru snapped.
"See?" Tamotsu said, rubbing the back of his head.
"Tamotsu, go grab us some Ramune from the fridge, I think mom just bought a whole new case," Tohru said, suddenly looking for an excuse to get rid of his kid brother.
"Ok, sure," Tamotsu said, getting up. "Would you like one, Yuuki-Kun?"
"No, thanks, I'm fine," Natsuno said.
Tamotsu nodded, "Alright then."
Tohru locked the door once Tamotsu was gone. "Alone at last," Tohru smiled. "I wanna' show you something, Natsuno."
"Don't call me th…?" Natsuno stopped as Tohru pulled open a dresser drawer and tossed something in his direction.
"Remember when Tamotsu told you I was good at reading people?" Tohru asked.
It was a panda bear key chain, like the one Natsuno had on his book satchel. "This is…?" Natsuno spun it around and there it was, written in the same penmanship. "夏の勇気". "Summer Courage?" He looked up at Tohru, "YOU'RE!?" Natsuno tried to hide a half-amused smile. "I knew I kept feeling nostalgic around you for some reason."
Tohru chuckled as he flopped on the bed next to Natsuno. "I told you I got myself one just like it," he winked, holding a single index finger in the air as he wrapped his right arm around his knees. "Though, I gotta' admit, I was surprised you kept yours. I was so sure you'd throw it away as soon as I was gone. Funny, you never told me your first name, and there it is, in my own penmanship, Natsuno Yuuki." Tohru smiled at Natsuno, wrapping both his arms around his legs and resting his chin on his knees. "Summer courage. It's a good strong name, with a hidden soft undertone. I think it suits you."